ABS Internet Phone Inside?
 

Sorry if this isn't the right forum for this, please move if it should be somewhere else.

I was on a Delta flight out of ATL yesterday, sitting in first on an MD88. Bored during taxi, I started to really look around and read some of the labels on the various compartments up front near the galley. I noticed one of them was labeled "ABS Internet Phone Inside". So, what this all about? I search the forum but couldn't find anything on it.

Googled, and found out the obvious, that it's an internet phone - but whats the purpose on board the plane? Just an alternate communication method for emergencies that leverages the on board wifi? (just thinking out loud).

Any input to satisfy my curiosity would be great - thanks!

- TT

There's a phone on the Gogo equipped MD-88's (which is all 117 examples) that can be used to call Gogo tech support, the flight attendant support desk, and STAT-MD for medical emergencies, I believe. It was mounted just forward of door 2L during the original Gogo installations, but after the removal of the aft galley during the M8R conversion, I believe it is now housed in the compartment you referenced.

Edited to add: I've never seen it used... and for medical emergencies, I believe that the preference is to have the folks in the flight deck set up for a relay via HF or ATL radio or ACARS or what have you so that they can be kept in the loop and if a divert is needed, they can shave precious minutes off the time it takes to get ready for that.

Thanks for the quick answer - that explains it!

- TT

I was on an MD-80 the other day (BOS-MSP) and noticed the same thing. I just assumed it was for medical emergencies.