A pilot has urged plane passengers to put their phones on airplane mode when they’re flying.
While it seems like a simple enough request, and is something frequent flyers do on autopilot, sometimes people forget. Even worse, there are holidaymakers who believe the rule doesn’t apply to them.
But contrary to popular belief, there is actually an important reason why airlines have this measure in place. By texting and calling while you’re in the air, you could end up disrupting the cabin crew.
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An airline pilot, from the US, took to TikTok to explain more. He said: “When passengers don’t activate airplane mode, their phones try to connect to radio towers.
“This can cause interference in the headsets we use to receive important instructions. There’s a potential that those radio waves interfere with the radio waves of the headsets used by pilots.”
While phones don’t have any major impact on the plane itself, the pilot said they can be very annoying at times. When he’s tried to communicate with control rooms in the past, he’s heard “mosquito-like” sounds through his headset due to people using their devices without authorisation.
Thankfully, people in the TikTok comments section have vowed to be more vigilant in the future. One wrote: “Thank you for explaining this. I’ll be better with turning on airplane mode now.”
Meanwhile, another said: “Thank you for this explanation! I’m a strict airplane mode follower but I never fully understood why it was important!”
Looking for more flight secrets? We’ve got plenty more you can read about – so be sure to stick with us.
Previously, a flight attendant shared the 10 things she would never touch while on a plane. They include areas that aren’t cleaned as often as you’d hope – from air vents to window shades.
Meanwhile, people who travel with checked luggage have been warned about a common mistake. Be sure to avoid it next time you book a trip!