Do you turn your cell to airplane mode just because the attendant told you to? People are usually told by the airlines to switch off their phones because not doing so could lead to trouble as the plane takes off.
What happens If You Decline Or You Just Forget About It?
Gary Coxe, a pilot and flight instructor with much experience, said, “Not a darn thing.” There is no worry about your plane crashing from a lightning strike, nor will it harm the in-flight equipment. Still, it can pose a risk of damaging the headsets,” he said in his TikTok video. He explained in the video, with millions viewing it, that when there are 3 or 4 passengers on a Boeing 737 trying to make a phone call, it can disrupt the radio waves used by the pilots’ headsets. It isn’t the biggest of problems, but it is definitely quite annoying, he concluded.
Due to not being able to see much, especially when they are on the runway, pilots rely on updates from the control tower heard through their headsets. As told by PerchPoint, when radio towers get in the way, people using the headsets may hear some buzzing, leading to less clear audio instructions. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, you can use your cell phone or electronic devices as long as their use does not impact the safety or radio equipment on board.
Still, the spokesperson did not answer whether they have recorded instances of a phone not in airplane mode contributing to an accident. In 1991, the Federal Communications Commission banned everyone from using cell phones on airplanes after discovering that their transmissions could affect critical instruments in the plane.
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