What happens if I use my phone on a plane?

“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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“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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FAQ about airplane internet Yes, it is a service available on some flights and airlines. How to get WiFi on a plane? You can get free WiFi on some airlines, by paying for the internet service with the airline or through your cellular operator.

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Do pilots know if your phone isn't on airplane mode? Well, sort of. “The flight attendants or the pilots are not going to get an indicator that says 13A has their cell phone on,” Laurie says. “But if there's enough people that they still have it on, and they're encountering that interference, then, yes.”

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Why are airplane passengers asked to put their phones in airplane mode? 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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Despite the urgings of flight crews to turn off all phones or put them in airplane mode, cell phones can continue to work after a plane takes off, but only while in range of a cellular tower. Cell phones communicate through cell towers, which are located on the ground but can stretch hundreds of feet into the air.

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If you do not turn off your cell phone, it has the potential to interfere with navigation instruments, Dan Bubb, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a former airline pilot, tells Travel + Leisure.

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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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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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In flight, this means the cell radio is using full-power to attempt the connection… therefore draining precious battery power. So, the next time you're in the air, save yourself some headaches…and battery power. Just switch your device to airplane mode and then turn it off for takeoff and landing.

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The TSA largely looks for physical evidence that a passenger could be a threat, so they'll generally have no reason to search through the data on your phone. After all, they're the Transportation Security Agency, not a detective agency. Even if they did have reason to want to access your phone, they'd need a warrant.

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The reason devices have to be turned to airplane mode or all the way off is that some of the onboard systems can be affected by interference from phones. Interference is rare, and probably wouldn't affect your flight, but aviation is an industry built on certainty, not probability.

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4 ways to get free Wi-Fi on your next flight
  1. Fly with airlines that offer complimentary Wi-Fi. Domestic airlines. ...
  2. Consider your credit card perks. ...
  3. Maintain elite status or fly in premium classes. ...
  4. Utilize this T-Mobile customer benefit. ...
  5. Bottom line.


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Wi-Fi speed is slow with an ATG connection at around 3 Mbps, so it's suitable for checking emails or messaging apps but wouldn't hold up against any bandwidth-intensive actions such as streaming or uploading files.

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To text while flying, you'll need to use a messaging app like WhatsApp, Apple iMessage, WeChat or Facebook Messenger. These Over The Top applications don't require a cellular network connection and instead send messages through the internet.

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The FAA notes that you can use devices in airplane mode or without a cellular connection. Wi-Fi can be used, even in tandem with Bluetooth, as long as the device has a Wi-Fi system and the airline okays its usage.

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Pan-Pan, short for “possible assistance needed,” is used to communicate an urgent, but not emergency, situation over VHF radio, in the case of aviation, to air traffic control. Examples could include a recreational pilot getting lost, or perhaps needing to climb to a higher altitude to sort a problem out.

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