Be Honest. Do you use airplane mode while flying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I once saw a special about it how a lot of 'trying to connect' signals messed with their onboard systems and caused glitching. Might have changed since then with newer mobile phones, but why take the chance to mess with the airplanes' system? They ask you to put it in airplane mode on every airline in the world. Why not do this one easy safety thing?

Good lord. If this was even remotely possible, the airlines would still require you to completely power down your phone.

Some of you are ridiculous.

Why are you entitled not to follow the rules?

There are lots of "rules" I don't follow. Your head might explode.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I once saw a special about it how a lot of 'trying to connect' signals messed with their onboard systems and caused glitching. Might have changed since then with newer mobile phones, but why take the chance to mess with the airplanes' system? They ask you to put it in airplane mode on every airline in the world. Why not do this one easy safety thing?

Good lord. If this was even remotely possible, the airlines would still require you to completely power down your phone.

Some of you are ridiculous.

Why are you entitled not to follow the rules?

OK you get a trophy today for being a good girl/boy. Now go sit down and be quiet.

DP but why so rude?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Engineer here. You should shut off or use airplane mode. Otherwise, your phone is going to constantly try to ping cellphone towers as you fly by them at 500mph and that's a huge battery drain (when doing an initial ping, it uses more battery power then once a connection is established).

There's also the being a good citizen part of it -- the cell towers can get a little overloaded when a phone is moving that quickly between towers, affecting the service of those on the ground.

As for the part about cellphones complicated the airplane's avionics, that's pretty much a myth. Otherwise, we'd hear of terrorists showing up with 20 cellphones in their bag, threatening to turn them all on at once.

LOL at your last sentence. As someone who is terrified of flying and terrified of people NOT turning their phones to airplane mode, I will remember this so I can laugh again on the plane. I know my fears are illogical!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineer here. You should shut off or use airplane mode. Otherwise, your phone is going to constantly try to ping cellphone towers as you fly by them at 500mph and that's a huge battery drain (when doing an initial ping, it uses more battery power then once a connection is established).

There's also the being a good citizen part of it -- the cell towers can get a little overloaded when a phone is moving that quickly between towers, affecting the service of those on the ground.

As for the part about cellphones complicated the airplane's avionics, that's pretty much a myth. Otherwise, we'd hear of terrorists showing up with 20 cellphones in their bag, threatening to turn them all on at once.

LOL at your last sentence. As someone who is terrified of flying and terrified of people NOT turning their phones to airplane mode, I will remember this so I can laugh again on the plane. I know my fears are illogical!

That last sentence actually didn’t make any sense because no one ever thought the risk was 5%— they thought it was like .01% or less but with 50k flights a day that would still be enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineer here. You should shut off or use airplane mode. Otherwise, your phone is going to constantly try to ping cellphone towers as you fly by them at 500mph and that's a huge battery drain (when doing an initial ping, it uses more battery power then once a connection is established).

There's also the being a good citizen part of it -- the cell towers can get a little overloaded when a phone is moving that quickly between towers, affecting the service of those on the ground.

As for the part about cellphones complicated the airplane's avionics, that's pretty much a myth. Otherwise, we'd hear of terrorists showing up with 20 cellphones in their bag, threatening to turn them all on at once.

LOL at your last sentence. As someone who is terrified of flying and terrified of people NOT turning their phones to airplane mode, I will remember this so I can laugh again on the plane. I know my fears are illogical!

That last sentence actually didn’t make any sense because no one ever thought the risk was 5%— they thought it was like .01% or less but with 50k flights a day that would still be enough.

Ugh now I’m scared again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Because I am not selfish, and want the pilot’s comms to work.

I swear, some of you people are frighteningly entitled.

PP, are you also still masking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Because I am not selfish, and want the pilot’s comms to work.

I swear, some of you people are frighteningly entitled.

PP, are you also still masking?

Not a fair comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineer here. You should shut off or use airplane mode. Otherwise, your phone is going to constantly try to ping cellphone towers as you fly by them at 500mph and that's a huge battery drain (when doing an initial ping, it uses more battery power then once a connection is established).

There's also the being a good citizen part of it -- the cell towers can get a little overloaded when a phone is moving that quickly between towers, affecting the service of those on the ground.

As for the part about cellphones complicated the airplane's avionics, that's pretty much a myth. Otherwise, we'd hear of terrorists showing up with 20 cellphones in their bag, threatening to turn them all on at once.

LOL at your last sentence. As someone who is terrified of flying and terrified of people NOT turning their phones to airplane mode, I will remember this so I can laugh again on the plane. I know my fears are illogical!

That last sentence actually didn’t make any sense because no one ever thought the risk was 5%— they thought it was like .01% or less but with 50k flights a day that would still be enough.

Ugh now I’m scared again.

Oops! Sorry 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit I am pretty surprised at the number of people who don’t.

I don't and my batter is totally fine after a few hours of flying. Other than that, no reason to do it.

I mean the reason to do it is it’s an FAA regulation. I think FAA always considered it more of a theoretical issue than a proven one, but when you are flying tin cans full of human beings at 30,000 feet they tend to be conservative about safety issues.

Well when it becomes more of a practical issue I'll consider not doing it. Billions of people have flown with their cellphones on at this point with no issue so I think I'm fine.

It is a practical issue: Your battery will die faster if it's not in airplane mode. Obviously no reason for anyone else to worry, but I just don't get the "I'm not going to do this" angle here — why not go along with a regulation that's as easy to comply with as the flick of a digital switch, that costs you nothing if you follow it and that probably helps you out in the process?

[Anonymous]

Yes, if I have my phone or ipad out I have it on airplane mode.

it saves battery.

Also, the flight attendants are asked to enforce this rule and I have no desire to make their lives more difficult (or get myself identified as a PITA) for something that is not an issue for me in the slightest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do. It probably doesn’t matter because there’s always been loads of idiots who don’t. I remember coming in to land at Heathrow and this guy’s phone rang. He answered and continued his conversation as we touched down.

Not using airplane mode doesn’t make someone an idiot. If it was actually important, they would make it a requirement instead of just a request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, if I have my phone or ipad out I have it on airplane mode.

it saves battery.

Also, the flight attendants are asked to enforce this rule and I have no desire to make their lives more difficult (or get myself identified as a PITA) for something that is not an issue for me in the slightest.

They are? Are you sure? I’ve never seen a flight attendant do or say anything to enforce this rule.

[Anonymous]

Why would I? What’s going to happen if I don’t? My thinking is if it’s actually a safety issue or interferes with something important, then it would be a requirement. Since it’s not a requirement (flown a lot and have NEVER seen a flight attendant or any flight staff go around and check than passengers’ phones are in airplane mode) I’m guessing it’s really not that important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I once saw a special about it how a lot of 'trying to connect' signals messed with their onboard systems and caused glitching. Might have changed since then with newer mobile phones, but why take the chance to mess with the airplanes' system? They ask you to put it in airplane mode on every airline in the world. Why not do this one easy safety thing?

Good lord. If this was even remotely possible, the airlines would still require you to completely power down your phone.

Some of you are ridiculous.

Why are you entitled not to follow the rules?

OK you get a trophy today for being a good girl/boy. Now go sit down and be quiet.

DP but why so rude?

Because I'm 100% sure that the PP does not follow all the rules that exist. It's just dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, if I have my phone or ipad out I have it on airplane mode.

it saves battery.

Also, the flight attendants are asked to enforce this rule and I have no desire to make their lives more difficult (or get myself identified as a PITA) for something that is not an issue for me in the slightest.

100% not true. I travel a lot and this "rule" is never enforced. No one cares anymore. It's one of those rules still on the books that are outdated and no one follows.