The airline found that most Emirates passengers don't talk more than two minutes on the phone -- often to tell family about their flight's arrival time or something they forgot to say before they left. Also, there has been "zero voice" usage during nighttime sleeping hours, although some people use their cellphones for text-messaging.
Got $144,500 to circle the globe?
A Newport Beach company, Safari Air, is taking reservations for a 21-day around-the-world trip in a 10-passenger Gulfstream IV private jet that includes a two-week safari through Africa.
The 25,450-mile flight departs Orange County's John Wayne Airport on Oct. 17 and will circle the world, stopping in Quebec City; Edinburgh, Scotland; Cairo; Agra, India; Hong Kong; Guam and Honolulu.
Priced at $144,500 per person, "it's an unparalleled value for our unique clients," Safari Air Chief Executive Ken Jillson said.
The fare includes stays at five-star hotels and first-class in-flight service of fine wines, gourmet food, afternoon tea and MacBook laptops with Bose headsets to watch movies. No Internet access though, and still no takers.
Carry-ons
Virgin America, the upstart carrier based in Burlingame, Calif., has become the first airline to offer in-flight Internet service on every flight. . . . Southwest Airlines has begun letting small cats and dogs fly with their owners for $75 each way. . . . On online travel service Sidestep.com, travelers can check a location and gauge the distance of a hotel from an address or a popular attraction such as a beach, zoo, shopping mall or ballpark.
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peter.pae@latimes.com
