Airline passengers regularly hear instructions to switch phones to airplane mode, yet many question the necessity behind this long-standing aviation rule. Experts now offer conflicting views on what happens when passengers ignore this directive.
“Not a darn thing,” states Gary Coxe, a pilot and flight instructor with 7,000 flight hours of experience piloting jets, helicopters, and gliders. Nevertheless, aviation professionals generally recommend enabling airplane mode as a courtesy, even if potential consequences remain minimal.
Photo- PexelsAirplane Mode
Interference with Cockpit Radios
A pilot and U.S. Army veteran known as PerchPoint explains in his viral December 2024 TikTok video that phones don’t endanger aircraft systems. However, he notes that just three or four passengers on a Boeing 737 with phones actively seeking cellular networks can potentially interfere with cockpit headset communications.
Pilots rely heavily on these headsets for critical information during takeoff and landing, when most aviation accidents occur. Cell phone radio waves don’t completely disrupt these communications but may reduce audio clarity. PerchPoint describes the interference as an “annoying” buzzing noise similar to a mosquito.
Photo- BoeingRegulatory Position
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains that personal electronic devices may only be used when they don’t affect aircraft safety or communications systems. This stance originated from a 1991 FCC ban on in-flight cell phone use, citing potential interference with “critical aircraft instruments.”
In 2013, the FCC revisited these regulations, acknowledging that technological advancements now allowed for safe phone use in airplane mode. That same year, CNN reported on an IATA study revealing only 29 suspected cases of electronic device interference between 2003 and 2009.
FAA Headquarters; Photo- MBisanz; Wikimedia CommonsInternational Phone Use Regulations
Passengers flying in the United Kingdom and the European Union now face more relaxed restrictions.
EU travellers can send text messages and answer calls when airlines permit it.
The European Commission not only approved in-flight 5G technology but also mandated its implementation.
Since June 2023, EU member airlines must equip aircraft with “picocells”—special network equipment functioning as portable cell towers that use satellite networks to maintain passenger connectivity.
Photo- MetrofoneUS Restrictions
American travellers shouldn’t expect similar freedoms soon. European 5G networks operate at lower frequencies that don’t interfere with aircraft technology, unlike American 5G networks that use higher frequencies with greater potential for disruption.
The FAA, which hasn’t updated its airplane mode rule since 2017, continues to require passengers to follow all crew member safety instructions.
An FAA public affairs specialist emphasises this requirement applies even when explanations aren’t provided.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
While no reports exist of passengers facing jail time for ignoring airplane mode instructions, other punishments have occurred.
In 2016, a British passenger on a Flybe (BE) flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to Exeter (EXT) received a fine exceeding $600 for disobeying these rules. In another incident from 2018, a passenger flying from Indiana (IND) was removed from the aircraft after arguing with flight attendants about whether her phone was in airplane mode.
Photo- Rosedale7175 from Norwich, UK | Wikimedia CommonsBottom Line
Experts advise complying with airplane mode requests despite ongoing debates. Beyond safety considerations, enabling airplane mode conserves phone battery by preventing constant tower connection attempts.
The temporary disconnection from calls and messages also offers passengers a rare opportunity to recharge mentally during the flight.
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