What Does Airplane Mode Actually Do?

TTT - Airplane Mode
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Jenn: Hey, everyone, and welcome back to Travel Tip Tuesday with Podcast. So One thing about me is I'm a rule follower.

Meggan: I'm gonna follow a rule.

Jenn: I'm going to follow the rule, but I have questions about the rule. I do. I want to understand the rule before I follow it.

So on my last flight and probably like most flights that I've taken, I've wondered, so like, what would really happen if I didn't put my phone into airplane mode? Like, would we just like crash during takeoff?

Meggan: I think that's a valid question a lot of people have.

Jenn: yeah, would we just, like, fall from the sky? I don't know. So, I've done some research, a. k. a. some Googling.

And I'm going to share it with you now. So, cell phone signals can interfere with aircraft navigational and Landing guidance systems. So, like, those are important.

Meggan: Those are key systems, I feel.

Jenn: So, like, technology has changed a lot on both sides of cell phones and airplane navigational systems over the last ten years or so. Like, remember once upon a time when your phone had to be like, off? Off? Like, turned off.

Yeah, um, but it can still interfere and especially if there are multiple cell phones going at once apparently That is a problem It makes it difficult for pilots to hear one another over their headsets It gets a little like crackly and then the in flight deck speaker system as well.

So we obviously want the pilots to hear each other.

Meggan: We do. We really, really do.

Jenn: Yeah. So, I mean, there's no way for like the flight crew to know who doesn't have their phone in airplane mode. There's no thing that goes, it's this person in seat 15B.

Meggan: Right. Right.

Jenn: Um, technically though, if you are caught, you are disobeying a crew member and disobeying crew member instructions. And that is a federal offense. Yeah. So, like, follow the rules.

Meggan: That is why we are rule followers,

Jenn: is we are rule followers. But, I did read that soon you may be able to access 5G networks on planes, specifically in the EU and the UK. And so you'll be able to use your phone as normal, like texting, calling people, using the internet.

Um, you might be able to do this now. A lot of the articles I read were from 2015. Nope, 2023, but I haven't seen like an update if that is what's happening. So if you have used your phone on the plane as normal and like called somebody, let us know because I'm very curious. So the internet's actually divided over this.

So Meggan, would you be are you happy to use your phone as usual? Some people think plane time is like the perfect time for disconnecting and quiet. What are your thoughts?

Meggan: Honestly, fine either way. Like, if I can't use it, I will prepare myself in advance to amuse myself. Do you know what I mean? And if I can use it, I'm sure I'll take advantage of it. So, I really don't care, but if it never happened, I would also be fine. I'm 48 now. I've Gone my entire life flying on planes with my own amusement.

So, I will just continue like, uh, there was a world for me before cellphones. So, that's cool for me. But I mean, if it's there, I'm sure I would use it to pass a little bit of time with headphones. Everyone

Jenn: Yeah. Yeah.

Meggan: headphones, to quiet.

Jenn: That's what I was thinking, you know, if you're on like an overnight flight and you're like the person sitting next to you is like on the phone calling somebody, like how horrible that would be.

Meggan: Yeah, that would be bad. It's not going to lead, I'm sure, to anything great, because it's only, and I'm sure in some situations it won't matter either way, but there's going to be people who don't, can't read a room, and don't have social, like, parameters to understand, I don't want to watch your TikTok videos as well.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: You know, so everybody just needs to abide by that. I mean, really, in cafes, anywhere in the world, honestly. But, um, on a plane, it would be really terrible because you can't escape. So,

I would honestly be fine if it never occurred. But again, I would, uh, use it if it was there, but responsibly.

Jenn: That's fair. Alright, everyone. Pack your headphones. Make sure it's on your packing list.

Meggan: Please, dear God, pack your headphones.

Jenn: that is it. That's all I have for this week. Thank you so much for tuning in. You can find us on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Travel Mug Podcast, our website, TravelMugPodcast. com, and you can support us through Buy Me a Coffee or for free, you can leave us a review. That makes us really happy. So, until next time, happy travels and be nice on planes. Bye!