Activating airplane mode during flights serves a crucial purpose.
A pilot has clarified why passengers are asked to switch it on prior to takeoff. Despite its usefulness beyond flights, like limiting notifications, some travelers either forget or resist enabling it.
Pilot and TikToker @perchpoint shared insights into airplane mode in a video that has garnered over 400,000 views. “This is just a friendly PSA that the airplane mode button on your phone is not a conspiracy,” he states at the beginning of the viral clip.
He debunks the myth that mobile phone signals cause planes to plummet. “It’s not the end of the world. The plane will not fall out of the sky. And it won’t even mess with the systems on board.”
Nonetheless, turning on airplane mode is still important for a specific reason. “It does have the potential to mess with the headsets,” the pilot specifies, referring to the headsets used by pilots.
He points out that if even a few passengers don’t activate airplane mode, their phones might attempt to connect to a radio tower, potentially disrupting pilot communications.
“There’s a potential that those radio waves can interfere with the radio waves of the headsets that the pilots are using,” he elaborates.
He recalls a recent flight where a buzzing noise disrupted his communication while wearing a headset for instructions.
“As soon as we started getting directions, there’s this, like, really annoying buzz going through the headset. Like I said, it’s not the end of the world, but it is definitely annoying when you’re trying to copy down instructions.”
Commenters expressed surprise and appreciation for the information. “Thank you for this insight,” one TikTok user noted.
@perchpoint
Another suggested: “I think y’all should normalise getting on speaker and saying exactly this, ‘I can hear in my headset some of y’all don’t have airplane mode on’. It’ll freak people out, they’ll turn it on.”
Someone else added: “Thank you for sharing this. I really didn’t think it actually mattered.”
A different viewer commented: “I don’t get why people don’t turn on airplane mode… I don’t want to pose ANY risk to anyone’s life no matter how big or small especially in mid-air.”
Although no plane crash has been attributed to mobile phone use, phones may interfere with navigation and landing systems, complicating the work of pilots and air traffic control.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prohibit cell phones in the air due to potential interference with critical aircraft systems. Devices should be in airplane mode or have cellular connections disabled. WiFi can be used if the plane has it and the airline permits its use.