The article discusses the common practice of passengers neglecting to switch their phones to airplane mode while flying. A survey revealed that a significant number of Americans sometimes skip this precaution. While some questions the necessity of airplane mode due to a lack of documented incidents stemming from phones, the Federal Aviation Administration highlights that phones can interfere with cockpit radios and critical instruments like the radio altimeter. The piece invites readers to consider whether airplane mode is simply a holdover from the past or a valid safety measure.
If cell phones were such a threat to aviation, wouldn't the Transportation Security Administration confiscate your smartphone instead of that water bottle you forgot in your backpack?
Your phone, when left to its own devices, is a needy little thing. It constantly pings cell towers, searching for a connection, and in the air, those pings can interfere with cockpit radios.
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