When you’re on an airplane, the flight attendants ask you to switch your phone to airplane mode. This is because your phone sends out radio signals while searching for a network, which can cause interference with the airplane’s equipment.
Airplanes rely on sensitive electronic systems, such as navigation and communication tools, to ensure the flight is safe. If your phone is trying to connect to a telecommunications tower, the signals it sends out could disrupt these critical systems, even causing temporary problems.
These electronic systems are designed to be very sensitive to signals, and your phone’s search for a network can affect their performance. While the chances of something going wrong are small, it’s still important to reduce any risk.
If too many people’s phones are not in airplane mode, the signals can add up and create interference with equipment like the plane’s radar or radio, making it harder for pilots to get clear information.
Many people use airplane mode for reasons like saving battery, avoiding calls, or making their phone run faster. Even though it was originally made to keep phones from interfering with airplanes, most people don’t know that.
Some might never have flown in a plane, so they don’t know the real reason behind it. Today, airplane mode is available on all phones and computers, but most users turn it on as an innovative approach to utilize their mobile phones in a convenient way, not airplane flight safety.
A real-life example of this occurred during a flight in 2009 when a Boeing passengers airplane from San Diego to Minneapolis communication systems were temporarily disrupted by passenger phones not in airplane mode.
The interference caused by the phones trying to connect to multiple cell towers at once made it difficult for pilots to communicate clearly. This incident highlights why it’s crucial to follow the airplane mode rule to avoid such issues and ensure smooth operations.
Switching to airplane mode also helps save your phone’s battery. When a phone is searching for a network, it uses more power. In airplane mode, the phone stops searching, which also is useful especially on long flights when you want to conserve energy for other tasks like playing games or watching movies. So, by turning on airplane mode, we are keeping the flight safe and our phones running longer.
But really, what happens if you don’t turn on airplane mode during a flight?
In 2017, Allianz Travel Insurance surveyed more than 1,500 Americans and learned that 40% of people don’t always put their phone on airplane mode. Almost 14% of people have secretly snuck a text message or call during a flight.
“If using a phone on a plane really is dangerous,” they reason, “why are we allowed to bring phones aboard?” It’s true that there have been no reports of planes crashing or other serious in-flight incidents caused by cell use on board planes. The extent of phones’ effect on aviation technology hasn’t been studied in-depth.
Anecdotally, however, pilots say they can hear background noise and interference from phones while flying, especially when they’re landing and mobile phones begin to make contact with towers again. Do you really want to distract your pilot while they’re speaking with air traffic control and trying to execute a safe landing?
Are you allowed to use your phone at all on a plane?
According to allianztravelinsurance.com, you are allowed to use your phone at all on a plane once it’s in airplane mode, you can safely use any feature on your phone. You can also enable Wi-Fi to connect in flight. Just leave the cell service off.
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