“Please ensure your seats are in the upright position, tray tables stowed, window shades are up, laptops are stored in the overhead bins and electronic devices are set to flight mode.” If you have ever been on a flight, you have certainly heard these words. You may have heard the first four points and found them acceptable. After all, having the window coverings raised is useful to see if there is an emergency, such as a fire. To quickly exit the row quickly, tray tables need to be tucked away, and chairs need to be upright. In an emergency, laptops may become missiles because the seat back pockets are not sturdy enough to hold them. All of these seem to make sense.

But what about that last point? Mobile devices must be in flight mode to prevent emergencies on board the aircraft. But then, can a smartphone really create that many problems? This may have raised doubts as to whether it is actually necessary to follow the guidance.

From analogue to digital communications

Radio services are used for aviation navigation and communication, and they have been coordinated since the 1920s to reduce interference. Compared to some of the more traditional analogue technologies we employed even 60 years ago, modern digital technology is far more sophisticated. According to research, personal electronics are capable of emitting a signal in the same frequency range as the aircraft’s navigation and communications systems, which results in electromagnetic interference. However, an independent investigation conducted in 1992 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority and Boeing into the usage of electronic devices on aeroplanes showed no interference difficulties with computers or other personal electronic devices during non-critical phases of flight. (The critical moments are regarded as take-off and landing.)

In order to prevent interference between diverse users of the same frequency spectrum, such as mobile phones and aeroplane navigation and communications, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission also started to designate restricted frequency bandwidths for certain uses. The same procedures and laws were created by governments all over the world to avoid aviation interference issues. Since 2014, electronic gadgets are permitted to be left on throughout the EU.

Passengers, technologies and bandwidth

Why then does the aviation sector still prohibit using mobile phones despite these international standards being in place? One of the issues is caused by ground interference, an unanticipated component.

Wireless networks are linked by a system of towers; if everyone utilises their phones while flying over these ground networks, the networks might become overloaded. Over 2.2 billion people travelled in 2021, which is less than half the amount of people who travelled in 2019. The wireless service providers could be right in this case.

Of course, the adoption of a new standard has been the most significant recent shift in mobile networks. Many in the aviation business are concerned about the current 5G wireless networks, which are coveted for their faster data transfer.

Despite the fact that radio frequency bandwidth is limited, we continue to attempt to integrate new devices. The 5G wireless network bandwidth spectrum is extremely close to the designated aviation bandwidth spectrum, according to the aviation sector, which might interfere with navigation equipment adjacent to airports that help with aircraft landing. Airport operators in Australia and the United States have expressed worries about the deployment of 5G in relation to aviation safety, although it appears to have happened without any issues in the European Union. In either case, it could be argued that restricting mobile phone use on aeroplanes, while problems with 5G are resolved, may represent a wise choice.

Indirect issues related to devices’ use

Nowadays, the majority of airlines provide their passengers with either free or pay-per-use Wi-Fi services. Passengers might, for example, use their mobile phones to make video chats with friends or customers while in flight thanks to improved Wi-Fi technology.

Whilst this may not directly affect the frequencies and communications of the aeroplane, it may still affect the onboard service, such as food and beverages provisions. If then every passenger would engage in loud conversation, it would result in a chaotic flight with noise and ‘acoustic pollution’.

Ultimately, this may result in disruptive conduct in form of failure to follow safety regulations like not using seat belts, and verbal and physical altercations with other passengers and cabin crew members—commonly known as “air rage.”

In conclusion, whilst using a phone while flying may not now currently make the aircraft less able to function, the use of devices online may indirectly affect the flight experience and potentially cause indirect issues. There are a lot of passengers to serve, therefore cabin personnel would wish to avoid delays when offering in-flight services to them. Indeed, the 5G concerns may require further investigation, to clarify whether the use of 5G devices may cause interference with aircraft navigation during landings and take-offs.