Toulouse: Emirates says it will equip all 90 Airbus A380s it has on order with Wi-Fi networks so passengers can make mobile phone calls, download data and browse the internet during flights.

Emirates, which has taken delivery of 11 superjumbos, said it would make the paid-for service available in June 2012 under an agreement with Geneva's OnAir NV.

The technology would permit the use of devices including laptop computers, iPhones and smartphones.

Biggest contract

The Emirates order is the biggest contract yet for a combination of in-flight voice and data telephony and could lead to more orders from the 555-seat Airbus model, OnAir Chief Executive Officer Ian Dawkins said.

"We're talking with everyone else who's got an A380," Dawkins said.

"I think Emirates is key for us because it'll help it become the standard for the A380 and also hopefully start moving into other long-haul fleets."

Singapore Airlines, Air France-KLM Group, Deutsche Lufthansa and Qantas Airways all operate the superjumbo, and carriers including Korean Air Lines and China Southern Airlines have ordered the double-decker plane.

OnAir's 25 existing customers include British Airways, which offers the complete package of voice and data on a single business-only route between London City airport and New York.

Dawkins said about 20 per cent of passengers used the service and that a similar level was expected to be achievable with Emirates.

OnAir and Emirates said they would share revenue from the service.

Airbus owns 30 per cent of OnAir, with the other 70 per cent owned by SITA, the world's biggest provider of air transport-related applications and communications.

Quiet and fuel-efficient

Emirates has selected Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power its A380 order announced last month for an additional 32 aircraft.

The deal includes a fleet management agreement for the maintenance, overhaul and repair of the engines.

The total value of the agreement, including spare engines, is approximately $4.8 billion over the life of the contract.

"The performance of the GP7200 engines on our 11 in-service A380 aircraft has proven to be highly fuel efficient and extremely quiet, which is much lauded by our passengers," said Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

"This made for a natural engine selection for our new order."

The first Engine Alliance GP7200 engines entered service with Emirates in August 2008.

The flight was the first in-service A380 flight to the United States.

With inputs from Bloomberg