Expert reveals why you should always put your phone on flight mode

Though planes have made going to even far-off places in the furthest corner of the world fast and convenient for all, plane travel itself is full of anxieties for many people. While for some flight travel is physically uncomfortable causing airplane ear etc., for others, it might be the food that has serious consequences on your health.

Many others get stressed due to the variety of things one must pay attention to while travelling by air, whether it is about clothes you should avoid wearing, or being forced to be cut off from your phone networks due to flight travel rules. In case you have been wondering about the latter, there are actually some very solid reasons why passengers are asked to switch off or put their phone in flight mode while on a plane.

Here's what Afar reports on the subject, and the difference in what's in store for the 'flight mode' in the US versus the EU.

Why planes need your phones on flight-mode

The requirement to disable all cell services by using a flight mode is mandated by the law in the United States. As the Federal Aviation Administration states,

The FCC and FAA ban cell phones for airborne use because its signals could interfere with critical aircraft instruments. Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.

The reason for this is, authorities want to ensure that there is not even an iota of chance that any radio transmissions to your phone affects the communication and navigation systems inflight.

As per the FAA, there have been suspected interference to communication and navigation systems that have been found by both FAA and NASA.

If a plane pilot is making a descent in challenging circumstances, such as one with low visibility, they might sometimes ask passengers to completely switch off their phone.

EU to allow calls on flight

As per Afar, while we might assume that once a plane takes off, our phones are quite useless to receive calls or messages anyway, it's actually not true.

Apparently it is possible to make phone calls even from up in the air! If the plane is low enough, around 10,000 feet or less from the ground, you would be able to make calls even though the call might ping from one cell tower to another, and the connection might be bad. It is also possible if the plane offers cell network, like in the European Union very soon.

Forbes reports that passengers flying within the EU will soon be able to call, text, and use mobile data on flights. A December 2022 ruling has allowed airlines to provide 5G and slower mobile data on planes!

But it doesn't seem like the United States is going to follow the EU's lead anytime soon, and while flight mode might be on its way to retirement there, in the US, it's likely to stay on in the near future. The main reason for this is that 5G networks are designed differently in the US, running on a closer frequency to the equipment on an aircraft. This means, they are a safety concern for any flight, with the potential to interfere with a plane’s ability to measure altitude, or disrupt safety equipment.

Read more:

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Sources used:

Afar: 'What Really Happens if You Don’t Switch Your Phone to “Airplane Mode” In-Flight'

FAA: 'Safety Information'

Forbes: 'European Union To Allow Phone Calls On Planes'