Switching your phone to airplane mode feels ingrained in the pre-flight routine, though it’s not because your phone might interfere with the plane’s systems.
The consensus that phones might interfere with a plane’s navigation system is a myth, and it has been proven so with extensive studies, as shared by Gizmodo.
Originally, in 1991, concerns about ground network interference led to a ban on in-flight phone calls. Since then, technology advancements like pico-cells, which ensure that phone signals don’t interfere with the plane’s system, have rendered this concern obsolete.
Flights in Europe already allow passengers to make phone calls and access data on-board.
The main reason why you’re asked to put your phone on airplane mode before takeoff is to prevent passengers from taking phone calls during flights and disturbing other passengers and flight attendants, which could lead to “air rage” incidents.
Today, putting your phone on airplane mode serves as an act of common courtesy rather than a safety precaution.
Check out Gizmodo’s full report on why putting our phones on airplane mode on board flights is still a reality.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: Gizmodo
