The airline industry could save over $600 million within the next few years if it learns how to exploit the new features in high end mobiles. According to airline IT company SITA, mobiles’ location awareness could be used to track passengers within airports and send messages to their phones to help them get to their gate on time, cutting flight delays and saving millions.

Mobile phones could also become “personal travel folders”, says SITA, holding a passenger’s boarding passes, baggage tracking information and payment data and maybe even visa and biometric information.

[via SMS Text News]

International travelers will be surprised to know that Europe has recently approved the use of cell phones on Airplanes.

According to USA Today:

Midair service may be available as soon as this year on some airlines for passengers using European GSM technology. The United States and many other countries bar mobile devices in the air because of concern they could disrupt a plane’s instruments.

Under the plan approved Monday, cellphone users could make and receive calls through an onboard base station. They will be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet, when other electronic devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.

But a host of issues remain, from the cost of mid-flight phone service, to backlash from those who dread the thought of being trapped for hours listening to one-sided conversations.

Hmm… well for me the pros are that I’ll be able to use my Yackie Mobile SIM card while in flight but the cons are I think I will be dreading those 6 hour flights sitting next to the lady who doesn’t know cell phone etiquette. Can you imagine how disturbing it will be to have to listen to another person’s conversation while trying to get much needed sleep?

For more news on this topic check out the BBC News article: Europe clears mobiles on aircraft.