You’ve seen airplane mode on your phone hundreds of times, and you’re asked to enable it on every flight. But with modern technology, is this still necessary? Why does airplane mode continue to exist, and does it need to?
In fact, airplane mode has a few factors you might not have considered.
Recapping what airplane mode does
In case you’ve forgotten or aren’t familiar, airplane mode is a simple toggle on iPhone, Android, and Windows that disables all wireless radios on your device. On most devices, enabling airplane mode turns off cellular communication, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth (GPS stays on). Disabling airplane mode turns all these back on.
macOS lacks an airplane mode, but you can quickly turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from Control Center at the top-right of your screen. There’s nothing special about airplane mode compared to disabling all three radios manually—it’s a convenience option.
Nowadays, airplane mode is most relevant for cell communication. You can enable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth while keeping airplane mode on, and modern versions of Android and iOS remember your prior setting for the next time you use airplane mode. This makes it easier to use in-flight Wi-Fi or Bluetooth headphones while keeping cell signals disabled.
Airplane mode first appeared in the early 2000s, serving as an alternative to turning your phone off. This was before smartphones and all their non-calling uses, making the mode more relevant now so you can watch downloaded content, listen to podcasts, and similar while flying.
Using airplane mode on flights
The most common place to use airplane mode is in the name. Flight staff will always ask you to turn off your small devices or put them in airplane mode before takeoff. However, they don’t check to make sure you’ve done it.
Ostensibly, the main reason for this is that wireless communication from your phone can interfere with operations on the plane. There’s a lot of debate about this, but no clear evidence has linked the wireless signals of a phone directly to problems on a plane. Stories are anecdotal or from decades ago.
Plane electronics are shielded to prevent interference, and the comparatively weak signals from your phone are unlikely to get through this. However, shielding can weaken over time, so it’s not impossible.
Pilots have reported minor issues with their communication equipment (which are still a concern in a serious environment like a flight), but there’s never been something serious like a plane crash directly linked to phone usage. It’s possible that widespread phone usage could majorly interfere with plane systems, but this hasn’t been proven.
Cell towers can’t keep up with plane speeds
Another key point is that while flying, your phone isn’t connecting to cell towers like it normally does. Since you’re so high up, your phone has to use its maximum transmission power to try reaching towers on the ground. Not only does this maximize the signals coming from the plane, but it can also interfere with cell service for others on the ground using those towers normally.
And because you’re moving so quickly, your phone is continually moving out of range of one cell tower and into another. Your phone constantly checking for a new signal consumes a ton of battery, meaning the best practical reason to keep airplane mode enabled during a flight is to preserve your phone’s battery.
You can’t make calls anyway, so it’s better to use that battery life for games, music, or similar.
Airplane mode ties into flight laws
In the US, FCC rules outlaw using your phone to make calls on a plane, but this is to avoid the problems with cell towers on the ground. You’re allowed to use phones and other electronics as long as you abide by the airline’s rules.
Federal law requires that you follow the instructions of flight crews. Thus, if you fail to turn on airplane mode when told, you could theoretically get in trouble (though this is unlikely unless you make a scene about it).
Most airlines require your devices to stay in airplane mode through the whole flight, with stricter attention given during takeoff and landing. This is because takeoff and landing are the most intense parts of a flight; the pilot needs clear communication with air traffic control.
That’s similar to why you’re required to stow larger devices, like laptops, during takeoff and landing. If there were an emergency, having those big devices out slows your reaction time. They could also become a dangerous projectile if the plane lost control.
But how important is it?
It’s reasonable to ask: if airplane mode is so important, why is using it effectively optional on flights? If not having your cell phone in airplane mode was so dangerous that it could cause the plane to crash, airlines would take more drastic steps to make sure you used it (or didn’t bring electronics on a plane with you).
The answer is what we’ve discussed: it’s best for everyone if all passengers put their phones in airplane mode, but there isn’t a serious enough risk to mandate all phones being turned off, especially since people rely on their phones for entertainment during a flight. Something could happen, so you should enable airplane mode, but the risk is small if you don’t.
Airlines and governing bodies have mentioned other reasons to continue enforcing airplane mode. One supposition is that it reduces “air rage” (incidents of people getting violent or disruptive on a flight). Presumably, preventing people from talking to others not on the flight reduces the chances that someone will snap over an unrelated issue.
Another is that talking on the phone annoys the people around you—given how many people don’t have the courtesy to use earbuds on a plane, this is a warranted concern.
Airplane mode is useful on solid ground, too
We’ve focused on flights, but airplane mode has uses when you aren’t in the air. Turning off all radios (or at least the cell radio) reduces the work your phone has to do, which helps conserve battery or charge faster. It’s also a good quick troubleshooting step when something is wrong with your connection.
Because it prevents your phone from talking to cell towers, using airplane mode can also help you avoid roaming charges if you’re in another country for a short time. It can also function as a quick and dirty way to avoid distractions on your phone—though modern Do Not Disturb and Focus modes are superior for this.
Airplane mode is a convenience toggle that you should use while on flights to avoid the minimal risk of interference, plus save your phone’s battery on a trip. You can still use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with it on, and while it likely won’t make a difference for the plane, you should enable it to follow the rules.
If you’re a fan of working on flights, why not try an app that makes focusing feel like you’re on a plane?