According to Smarter Travel, by not turning your phone onto airplane mode, your phone will attempt to make connections with the cell towers around it. Forbes reported, ?If you don't put your phone on airplane mode during a flight, your phone will probably annoy a few pilots and air traffic controllers.?

If you forget to enable airplane mode in 2026, your phone will likely continue to search for a cellular signal as you ascend. Because you are moving away from ground towers at high speeds, the device will boost its power output to its maximum setting to maintain a connection, which can cause significant battery drain during the flight. While a single phone is unlikely to cause a "catastrophe," the cumulative electromagnetic interference from dozens of active devices can occasionally cause an audible "buzzing" or static in the pilots' headsets or interfere with sensitive cockpit instruments, particularly radio altimeters during critical takeoff and landing phases. This is why 5G signals are a major focus in 2026; they operate on frequencies close to those used by the aircraft. Beyond technical risks, failing to follow crew instructions regarding electronic devices is a regulatory violation that could result in a warning or fine.