Is Using Airplane Mode on Flights Still Necessary?

"Airplane mode isn't about 'the plane will crash.' It's about your phone going feral at 800 km/h. It keeps hunting towers nonstop, blasting signals and draining battery. One phone is nothing. A cabin full of phones can create that annoying headset interference pilots hate."

"According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the answer is still yes. Passengers are required to put their phones on airplane mode for the duration of a flight, as signals could theoretically interfere with critical aircraft instruments."

"I used to do equipment certification for aircraft. The only time flight mode really matters is during takeoff and landing. There's a small potential for the [radio frequency] signals to cause interference with navigation and communication equipment. Small!"

Airplane mode has long been a standard pre-flight requirement, but its necessity is more nuanced than commonly understood. The rule exists because phones searching for signals at high altitude could theoretically interfere with aircraft navigation and communication equipment. However, aerospace engineers and pilots suggest the actual risk is minimal, particularly during cruising altitude. The FAA maintains the requirement as official policy, though some pilots report not using airplane mode themselves and note that cellphone radio interference incidents have been rare for over a decade. The regulation persists largely as a precautionary measure and standardized procedure rather than an immediate safety threat.

Read at InsideHook