Wish you could send an SMS to your loved ones or friends from the air? Singapore Airlines (SIA) has just made it possible, using Matsushita Avionics Systems Corporation`s Inflight Communicator service.

The in-seat messaging service, announced in April this year, will be inaugurated on flight SQ36, departing Singapore for Chicago via Amsterdam at 11.45 p.m on Monday, 26 August, for a three-month promotional trial period. Development work on the software was successfully completed in August.

Mr Yap Kim Wah, SIA`s Senior Vice President Product & Services, said, “The trial period is an opportune time to fine-tune the system and encourage comments and feedback from our customers before we implement the service across our fleet. This launch is another confident step towards our revolutionary entertainment and communication blueprint, the SIA CyberCabin.”

During the trial period, this service will be available free on a mix of ten SIA`s Megatop B747 and Jubilee B777 long-haul aircraft. Travellers can send short messages of up to 160 characters to any mobile phone user or email address using the in-seat handset, or personal monitors on aircraft that supports a touch-screen function.

“We are equally pleased that our partner, Virgin Atlantic Airways, will offer a similar service at the same time,” added Mr Yap.

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