Ryanair suspends in-flight phone service

Ryanair has been forced to suspend its in-flight phone service after the company that provided it, OnAir, said it was terminating the contract.

The airline said it had intended to roll out the service across the entire flieet just over a year after it was first introduced, but the a Swiss-based technology firm, which is owned by aviation companies Airbus and SITA, was "unwilling" to commit to the expansion of the service at this time, and terminated its agreement with Ryanair.

It is now seeking tenders from in-flight communications providers for the service.

Ryanair carries 73 million passengers a year.