A method for forwarding incoming cellular communications to an aircraft is
provided. A request is received to divert incoming calls for a cellular
telephone number to a communication system on board an aircraft. The
request includes at least a temporary identification code representing a
cellular telephone aboard the aircraft. A diversion instruction is
associated with the cellular telephone number. The diversion instruction
represents an instruction to forward an incoming call for the cellular
telephone number to the communications system aboard the aircraft. A
state of a cellular telephone associated with the cellular telephone
number is considered as busy, regardless of an actual state of the
cellular telephone. An incoming telephone call to the cellular telephone
number is forwarded, consistent with said considering and in accordance
with the diversion instruction, to the communications system on board the
aircraft.