Northwest Airlines declined to comment today on a report that it might take a stake in Qantas, the Australian international carrier.

Now Qantas, the Australian carrier, says it will begin evaluating a system early next year to enable in-flight use of cellphones and other devices like BlackBerrys.

Ansett Airlines, an Australian carrier, recently sponsored a sweepstakes in which four lucky members won BMW's.

Telecom bought the Australian carrier in 1999 to offset shrinking sales at home only to face fierce competition from the Australian giant Telstra.

Last week, it acquired a 25 percent stake in Qantas, the Australian national carrier.

The hope was that the Australian carriers would be sunk before planes like those could strike.... They hoped.

I am U.S.-based, so I don't know much about the discount Australian carriers and obviously overlooked some flights.

Qantas, the Australian carrier, said it would impose the same charge.

The Australian carrier was prepared for disposal, and was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 30 June 1982.

British Airways has embarked on merger talks with Australian national carrier Qantas, triggering fears of job losses.