Emirates has begun plans to install technology which will allow mobile phone usage on all its planes. The airline was the first carrier to allow in-flight mobile calls and text messages on a flight from Dubai to Casablanca in March. The technology used is known as the AeroMobile system, and it has been added to nine more Emirates aircraft, whose routes include destinations in Europe, Africa and Australia.

In the months to come, the airline’s entire fleet – over 100 aircraft – will be capable of offering the service, including flights to and from Britain. Emirates stated that the call charges will be kept to a minimum, based on standard international roaming charges.

AeroMobile says that the technology has been thoroughly tested and approved by all relevant bodies, and cabin crew have the ability to disable the system anytime.

ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines Inc. said Tuesday it will offer broadband wireless Internet access on its entire domestic mainline fleet by the middle of next year. Atlanta-based Delta said Wi-Fi service will be offered to for a fee to customers traveling throughout the continental US.

The system will allow Delta customers traveling with Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs to access the Internet while in flight.

American Airlines, Texas-based will offer the same Wi-Fi service as Delta through Arcell later this year in 15 of its 767-200 aircraft, which generally fly transcontinental routes, spokeswoman September Wade said, adding that American announced its plan more than a year ago.

New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp. offers free Wi-Fi service on one aircraft that generally flies transcontinental routes, spokesman Sebastian white said. Arizona-based US Airways Group Inc. plans to offer Wi-Fi service on a trial basis on one Airbus aircraft in the fall, spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said.

On August 1, at 4:34 p.m. local time, Emirates Airline’s first Airbus A380 touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York City, completing the first A380 service to the United States. The aircraft operated the service just four days after Emirates took delivery of it on July 28.

Carrying 489 passengers, 2 infants and 24 crew members, the A380 arrived 11 minutes earlier than scheduled after a 13-hour 43-minute maiden commercial flight from Dubai. Upon exiting the runway, the A380 taxied through the traditional water-cannon salute from an airport fire tender to celebrate the first service of a new aircraft type, and docked at JFK’s Terminal 4.

Also noteworthy is that flight EK 3801 was the first airline commercial service by an aircraft on which passengers could take showers. Emirates is fitting all of its long-haul A380s with two stand-up showers for first class passengers, one on each side at the forward end of the aircraft’s upper deck. Each A380 will carry up to 500 kilograms of extra water for the first class shower service.

A plane taking off from New Delhi’s main airport caught fire forcing all 252 passengers and crew to escape through an emergency exit, said airport officials on Friday.

The Air Mauritius pilot apparently braked suddenly as the plane prepared to takeoff, and this might have sparked a fire that spread to the jetliner’s undercarriage, said Indira Gandhi International Airport spokesman Arun Arora.

Rescue workers and firefighters rushed to evacuate the plane and put out the blaze Thursday afternoon. All 241 passengers and 11 crew on the New Delhi to Mauritius flight escaped safely through emergency exit, although there was some panic.

Local media reported the accident was caused by a bird that hit the plane, but Arora could not confirm that and said the incident was under investigation.