Turning your mobile device into airplane mode just before you board is something many travelers find themselves doing without thinking twice. After all, it is perhaps the most common instruction for anyone flying.
But then, the question is, what happens if you fail to do so, or simply ignore it?The basic fact is that in most instances, nothing really terrible is going to happen at once. Just because your mobile phone remains switched on does not necessarily mean there is any kind of emergency for your aircraft. Aircrafts these days are built with such advanced technology as to ensure they are resistant to any form of consumer electronic devices’ interference.Still, that does not mean airplane mode is pointless.
Why airlines ask for Airplane Mode
When the airplane mode is switched on, the cellular radio of your phone gets switched off, which prevents your device from connecting to cell towers present on the ground. In the absence of airplane mode, your phone could continue trying to connect while the plane is taxiing, taking off, flying, and landing.At a high speed and high altitude, phones have difficulty maintaining their connections with ground-based networks.
Rather than functioning properly, they keep reconnecting.
This can lead to a few practical issues:
- Increased battery usage: Another major impact is an increase in the battery drain rate. In comparison to an idle device in airplane mode, an actively searching phone consumes significantly more power. This is especially noticeable when traveling by plane with an active mobile network connection.
- Limited connectivity: The mobile phone could fail to establish a reliable mobile connection regardless of the active airplane mode because the mobile networks have been created to cover areas where people stay, rather than flying high above. This means that your phone will be trying to find a mobile signal for most of the trip, but it won’t be able to.
- Interference or additional noise: There have been isolated cases when some electronic equipment has caused slight noise disturbances for cockpit communication.
Airplane cockpit
Why the rule still exists
Despite the sophistication of today’s planes, flying relies on layers of safety. Since a small measure can avoid excessive radio communication and normalize passenger conduct, the airlines and aviation authorities would rather maintain the regulation.The measure also assists the cabin staff in making sure that passengers abide by the instructions while at crucial points of the flight, such as takeoff and landing.
Can you get into trouble?
Maybe, maybe not. It is expected of passengers to comply with crew instructions. In case someone defies repeated instructions regarding the usage of their devices, the cabin staff could give out warnings or even report the conduct.
Can you still use your phone?
Yes. Once airplane mode is activated, many airlines allow passengers to turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back on separately. This means you can often use:
- In-flight Wi-Fi (if available)
- Messaging apps
- Downloaded movies and music
- Cameras
- Games
- Wireless headphones
Always follow the airline’s onboard device rules.In short, failing to activate airplane mode does not mean that your device will bring down an airliner or cause an emergency situation in one. The most probable outcome is that you will have a cell phone draining its battery and trying to locate a signal. And you don’t want that to happen when you are travelling.Nevertheless, airplane mode is a reasonable and simple guideline to follow. It cuts down extra radio signals, facilitates safety protocols, and ensures a smooth flight.Hence, the next time you hear this announcement, activating this mode is your best option.
