If you have flown on a plane you have heard the message. Flight attendants will always ask you to put your electronic devices in airplane mode before takeoff.
Over the years, passengers have claimed the move is unnecessary, that there isn’t a real risk if you let your cell signal roam. But recently, a pilot has gone viral on TikTok to explain the risk is real and to ask people to listen to their flight attendants.
So why is it risky?
Advances in technology have made it less likely that mobile phone signals interfere with navigation and landing guidance systems, though according to USA Today, it is still theoretically possible. The real concern is causing interference on the headsets pilots use to communicate. That can make it tough for pilots to communicate with the tower, which is a real safety concern.
That noise in the pilot’s headset means they can tell when passengers have not put their phones in airplane mode. And when it comes to enforcement, not complying with the request would mean you are disobeying the flight crew, which is a federal offense...though there are no stats on how many people have been busted.
A good rule of thumb when flying is to always listen to the flight crew, including when they ask you to turn on airplane mode.