What Happens If I Don’t Use Airplane Mode on an Airplane?

Your carry-on is stored above your head, your seatbelt is on, your seat is in the upright position, and the flight attendant is making their final announcements before takeoff. Suddenly, your phone vibrates and you realize that you have a text message. Do you have time to respond to it before putting your phone in airplane mode? What would happen if you simply didn’t?

Why do airlines insist on telling people to turn their phones off or put them into airplane mode? Is it true that your phone can interfere with the flight? Learn more about the purposes of airplane mode and why it’s a good idea to follow the rules and put your phone in this specialized mode today.

What is Airplane Mode?

Phones have a mode on them called airplane mode that turns off wireless and cellular capabilities, making it impossible to make calls, send messages, or use Bluetooth. However, you can still do other things on your phone, such as listen to music, play games, and watch movies.

With this in mind, you may be wondering what happens if you don’t use airplane mode. No, your phone won’t stop working forever. You won’t fry the motherboard or other internal components, but there are some problems that cell phones not in this mode can create on a plane.

Do I Have to Use Airplane Mode on a Plane?

Legally speaking, you have to use airplane mode on a plane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires flyers to either turn their phones off or put them in airplane mode during their flights. This is because the cellular signals that phones rely on have the power to interfere with some of the plane’s equipment.

It wasn’t that long ago that people were required to turn their phones off entirely while on planes. Between 2012 and 2013, the FAA worked with airlines, plane manufacturers, and leaders from the top cell phone brands in the world to work on a solution that would allow people to have their phones on during their flights. That’s when airplane mode became the new standard.

The aviation industry has published several reports since airplane mode was instituted linking cell phone use with system issues on planes. For example, 5G technology, which is now available in most of the United States, has the ability to interfere with altimeters. Altimeters are the tools that pilots use to determine how far they’re flying above the ground. This information is incredibly important, not only to ensure that pilots are flying at a safe altitude above mountains but also to ensure that planes whose paths intersect aren’t flying at the same altitude.

There have also been studies that link the use of cell phones to interference with navigational systems in planes. When your phone is competing with the plane’s navigational systems for the waves that it needs, neither system will work as designed. It is important to note that studies are still being performed to determine exactly how this interaction works and how severe it is. No, your phone probably won’t cause your plane to shoot hundreds of miles off course, and people within the industry are careful to explain this. However, no passenger should do anything that can potentially interfere with the plane’s systems.

What Happens if I Don’t Use Airplane Mode on a Plane?

If you’re found to not have your phone on airplane mode, there’s a good chance that a flight attendant is going to ask you to do so. If you refuse, that request is going to turn into a demand. If you continue to ignore the demands of the flight crew, it’s safe to assume that you’re going to be in some trouble. While they’re probably not going to land the plane somewhere short of the destination and force you to disembark, you could find yourself banned from that airline. Remember, putting your phone in airplane mode on a plane is not an airline policy, it is a federal law.

Disobeying crew members who give reasonable, lawful commands during a flight is a federal offense. No, you’re not likely to be thrown into federal prison for using your phone on a flight, but you are subject to federal charges. Is there really a phone call or a text message that’s worth that? Probably not.

Airplane mode essentially severs the invisible connection between your phone and the cellular towers that it relies on to make calls and send text messages. If you don’t turn your phone to airplane mode, your phone isn’t going to blow up or stop working forever. Instead, it will try to connect to the towers that you’re flying over during your flight.

These incessant attempts at connection are going to lead to your battery dying faster, and you may notice high roaming costs on your next bill, depending on your cellphone provider and plan. This is also why travelers are encouraged to turn their phones onto airplane mode when they’re on a cruise.

Many people also wonder if the flight crew will know if they don’t have their phones on airplane mode. Technically, no. Obviously, if a flight attendant brings the beverage cart by and sees you talking on your phone or sending a text, they’ll know. However, there is not a flashing light that will appear in the cockpit telling the pilot that the passenger in 15B has their phone on. However, if the pilots notice a significant amount of interference with their equipment, they’re going to assume that multiple people on the plane are using their cell phones.

Is Airplane Mode an International Requirement?

Surprisingly, the answer to this question is no. There are countries that allow travelers to fly without putting their phones in airplane mode or turning them off completely. The UK and the EU have both started allowing airlines in member countries to offer 5G in the air, which has made airplane mode a thing of the past for those travelers. It’s important to remember that if you’re flying from the United States to a country in the UK or the EU, you’re still bound by United States’ travel laws.

Do I Need Airplane Mode on a Plane?

Yes, you do. First and foremost, the use of airplane law is a federal law. Secondly, it’s not worth the risk of interfering with the digital tools that pilots rely on to safely transport you from one place to another.

Fortunately, many airlines now offer wi-fi on their flights, which allows you to connect your phone. This allows you to remain in communication with family members and friends on the ground.

Ultimately, airplane mode is a safety feature that the FAA put into place to help ensure travelers and flight crews reach their destinations. In the same way that you wouldn’t light up a cigarette on a plane, you should not try to circumvent the rules regarding cell phone usage. It’s not only the law, but it’s also the right thing to do.