SAS to allow some in-flight use of mobile devices.

Scandinavian Airlines will be the first airline to allow the use of some mobile phone functions during flight. In the so-called flight-safe mode, the mobile phone is switched on without sending or receiving signals and won’t therefore affect flight security.

It is the latest mobile phones, such as the Sony Ericsson P800, which have this flight-safe mode. With this, the traveler on board a SAS flight can use a mobile phone to update his or her diary, write e-mail and take notes, edit documents, play games, listen to music and even take photos with a built-in camera – everything except make a phone call.

SAS passengers who have mobile phones equipped with the flight-safe mode can use them as work tools or for entertainment onboard, effective immediately.

"The objective is to meet the demand of customers to be able to work and communicate while traveling on land or in the air," says Ulf Ingnäs, head of Product Management In-flight, Scandinavian Airlines.

Travelers onboard Scandinavian Airlines can already use other electronic products that do not transmit or receive signals, such as portable PCs, PDAs, DVD/CD cassette players, electronic games and calculators.