Is it rude to talk on the phone on a plane?

While you're not allowed to talk on the phone in-flight, you may be tempted to pick up a call before or after takeoff. If you must answer it (maybe you're expecting news from a doctor, or a loved one needs help), “avoid cell yell,” Whitmore says. “Keep your voice to a conversational tone . . . and keep the call brief.”



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“Mobile phone signals can interfere with aircraft navigational and landing guidance systems.” The relationship between phone signals and navigational systems is not an exact science, which is why everyone we spoke to was careful in their language.

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Per the FAA website's Safety Information page, “The FCC and FAA ban cell phones for airborne use because its signals could interfere with critical aircraft instruments. Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.

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Plane texting FAQ
Yes, you can text in airplane mode but you will need to connect to the aircraft's Wi-Fi (assuming that it is available). Some airlines like Delta will allow you to do this free of charge. Can you text on a plane with data? No, you generally cannot text on a plane with data due to FCC regulations.

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Can I text on an airplane? Yes, but only using a Wi-Fi connection. The ban on using a cellular connection means passengers can't send SMS texts. Any communication has to be over Wi-Fi with a messaging app that provides similar functionality like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Viber.

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Quick Answer: Yes, AirPods work on planes and you can even use them during your flight. Airlines treat them no differently than wireless headphones. However, you should be aware of a few limitations. True wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods are great for work, home, and working out.

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To provide Wi-Fi, planes need to have a satellite antenna, a network modem, and a number of wireless access points around the interior, says Jeff Sare, vice president of in-flight connectivity solutions at Panasonic Avionics Corporation. And all that hardware has to be maintained in addition to installed.

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Voice/video calls have not been approved by the FAA, and no one is particularly interested in having them approved, due to the frustration it would cause amongst passengers, having to listen to a multitude of conversations in a confined space, throughout the flight.

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Just about every plane that offers WiFi has the bandwidth to support voice over the internet, and several international airlines allow voice calls on certain routes already.

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You can listen to downloaded music, play games, write notes, view pictures, and do any other activities on your mobile device as long as they do not require an internet connection. An internet or cellular connection is only required for in-flight calls, video calls, online games, streaming, and text messaging.

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Internet speed found aboard planes is definitely not as fast as on land, but you can still use it to continue text conversations, engage in email correspondences and even idly scroll through Instagram. Unfortunately, tasty Netflixing is not yet available for many airlines, although some do offer stream packages.

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For the moment, the range of activities is still pretty limited. You can use your personal electronics — music players, tablets, e-readers and so on — during all phases of flight, but that comes with several caveats.

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