Do you have to switch your phone to airplane mode when flying? What happens if you don’t?

▲ Making a call on a plane (illustration / DaZhi Images)

By Rita

During flights, all passengers are required to switch their communication devices to “airplane mode” primarily to prevent mobile phones from interfering with flight safety when sending or receiving signals. As a result, many people habitually switch to airplane mode after boarding. But is airplane mode really completely safe, and what happens if you don’t use it?

According tothe UK Independent website,in reality, signals emitted by mobile phones do not necessarily interfere with an aircraft’s operating systems. There have been instances where terrorists on board had their phones turned on and were watching videos switching through YouTube content.

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore airplane mode. The report points out thatif you’re too close, having your phone on during a flight can give pilots a headache, as they may hear buzzing noises in their headphones. While it might not necessarily cause major issues, it’s best not to do it, as it could affect the accuracy of the signals they receive from the ground.