TAM Signs Contract for Mobile Communications Aboard Its Aircraft
September 10 2008 - 6:55PM
PR Newswire (US)
Agreement signed with OnAir will make the company the first in the
Americas to offer this technology SAO PAULO, Brazil, Sept. 10
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TAM Linhas Aereas (Bovespa: TAMM4 and
NYSE: TAM) will be the first airline in the Americas to offer
onboard mobile phone service on its Airbus A320s, to be provided by
OnAir -- a joint venture of Airbus and Sita, an organization that
develops cutting edge technology for aviation. A trail-blazing
partnership signed with the company will enable TAM passengers to
use their cell phones and smartphones in flight -- for voice, SMS
messaging or emails -- on South American routes. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080221/SPTH002LOGO ) The
system is expected to begin working in the second half of 2009. The
startup of operations will depend on approval by the National
Agency of Civil Aviation (Anac) and the National Agency of
Telecommunications (Anatel), as well as the adjustment of
legislation that only authorizes cell phone use when the aircraft
is on the ground and the doors are open. The announcement of the
agreement took place this Wednesday in Long Beach, California (USA)
at the trade fair of the World Airline Entertainment Association
(WAEA), the largest event in the world devoted to onboard
entertainment. The system was certified by the European Aviation
Safety Agency (Easa), and its use was recently regulated by the
European Union. The mechanism ensures complete safety for
passengers, since it prevents signals from devices from causing
interference in the aircrafts commands. In addition, should the
need arise, the system can be shut down at any time. The company
chose the OnAir system after two years of assessing connectivity
solutions available on the market. "Offering this advanced
technology to our customers confirms our leadership in the airline
market in Brazil, and is one more example of our constant quest for
Service Excellence, one of the pillars of our company," states TAM
president, Captain David Barioni Neto. "Our passengers,
particularly those traveling in business class, will be able to
stay in contact with their offices and clients, enhancing
efficiency and productivity." OnAir president, Benoit Debains,
underscored TAM's status as a pioneer in adopting this onboard
communications system. "We are very pleased by the fact that TAM,
one of the leaders in innovation in passenger service, and the
largest airline in South America, has chosen OnAir to implement
this additional benefit for its passengers," he said.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080221/SPTH002LOGO
DATASOURCE: TAM CONTACT: Libano Miranda Barroso, TAM Investor
Relations, +011-55-11-5582-9715, fax, +011-55-11-5582-8149, Web
site: http://www.tam.com.br/
Copyright