When boarding an aircraft, passengers receive several important instructions from the cabin crew before take-off and landing. One of the important parts is to either switch off mobile phones or activate airplane mode.
Enabling airplane mode has to be done for maintaining security and safety during a flight. Cabin crew members are quick to reprimand passengers who are still using their mobile phones when the plane is preparing to take off or land.
Besides ensuring flight safety, activating airplane mode also helps avoid certain issues with our mobile devices. So, what problems might arise if we don't activate this mode?
Here, I will discuss four problems that could occur if we don't enable airplane mode during a flight.
One of the main reasons for turning off mobile phones or using airplane mode is to prevent interference with aircraft communications. The cellular signals emitted by mobile phones can disrupt the radio communication between pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC).
This disruption can be extremely dangerous, especially during take-off and landing. As we know, the most critical phases of a flight are the 11 minutes during take-off and landing, often referred to as the "critical eleven."
Signal interference from mobile phones is more common with devices using 2G or 3G signals. Although interference is less likely with 4G and 5G signals, it is still possible.
What about Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals? Currently, these signals are not considered hazardous to flight safety. Therefore, we can still use them even when in airplane mode.
When we are in an area with a weak or no mobile signal, our phones continuously search for a connection. This constant search keeps the phone's hardware working non-stop.
Because these components are always active, the battery drains quickly even if we aren't using the phone at all.
This situation also occurs on an airplane. At high altitudes, there is usually no mobile signal. If the phone keeps searching for a signal, the battery will deplete rapidly.
Airplane mode is very useful in this scenario. When activated, the phone stops searching for cellular signals, helping conserve battery life during the flight.
This problem is closely related to battery drain. If the phone is constantly searching for signals, its components will heat up.
This makes the phone uncomfortable to use and can potentially damage its internal parts if it happens continuously. High temperatures are not good for the phone and can lead to long-term damage.
This issue often affects passengers on international flights. When we travel abroad, our mobile cards incur roaming charges for calls, texts, and internet usage.
Roaming rates are significantly higher than domestic rates. To reduce costs, we can either purchase a special roaming package or buy a local SIM card in the destination country.
Problems arise if we haven’t bought a roaming package and don’t activate airplane mode. When the plane lands, our phones automatically connect to the local network, quickly depleting our credit or data allowance.
To avoid this, it’s best to keep airplane mode on until we’ve purchased a roaming package or switched to a local SIM card. This ensures our credit and data won’t be used up unnecessarily.
In conclusion, these are four problems that can occur if we don’t activate airplane mode during a flight. Always remember to enable airplane mode for a safer and more comfortable journey.
