What happens if you don't put your phone on airplane mode?

Airplane mode is one of the things that the cabin crew warns you about before take-off and upon landing. But these days, mobile devices have become an inseparable part of us, so many people find it difficult to disconnect from the signal and switch to airplane mode.

But what happens if someone forgets (or worse, actively chooses to do so) to switch their cell phone to airplane mode? Most travelers really don't even know what the purpose of the flight is for and what failure to follow this rule could mean….

Why is airplane mode needed?

You may remember the time when airlines required passengers to turn off their phones completely. It's only been a good decade. Later, the rules came into force that phones can be switched on during the flight, but they must be in airplane mode.

"The industry has received several reports over the years linking cell phone use to system failures, and while systems have improved, regulators are wary of the safety implications," said a spokesperson for the international airline's Flight Tech team, noting that a mobile phone signal can interfere with aircraft navigation and landing systems. The probability of these disturbances is quite small due to advances in technology and better protection of aircraft systems, but despite this, it is still a good idea to switch the mobile phone to airplane mode. Just because of compliance with the regulations. Although the chances of this are small, airlines are convinced that it is better to stay on the safe side than to regret your decision later.

Airplane mode disables your phone's wireless communication features, including cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. This reduces the electromagnetic interference your device may emit that could affect sensitive aircraft equipment. As mentioned, modern aircraft systems are immune to this type of interference, but the precautionary principle still applies. During takeoff and landing, when the plane is closer to the ground and relies more on precise communication and navigation, any unexpected interference could cause quite a few problems.

Do some countries allow passengers to use the phone without airplane mode?

The UK and EU have recently allowed airlines to provide 5G in the aircraft cabin. In America, they are not thinking about it at the moment, which is said to be the fault of some specifics. In the UK and EU, there is no concern about the 5G signal interfering with cockpit equipment. “The potential for interference is much less,” Dai Whittingham, chief executive of the UK Aviation Safety Board, told the BBC in December 2022, adding: “We have a different set of frequencies for 5G and the power settings are lower than what is allowed in USA.” With this measure, some airlines were able to give their passengers access to the mobile network, even in the air.