Can you use your cell phone on an airplane?

Question

if you have airplane mode on? can they tell you to turn it off even if it is on airplane mode?

Answer 1

Yeah, you can use your cell phone on an airplane. They will probably only to tell you to turn it off for taxing, takeoff, and landing.

The FFA doesn't want to take any chances of a pilot missing some key information right before he goes full power with the engines and what not.

But during cruise flight, if a pilot misses something, he can simply have the ATC repeat it and just continue flying.

Answer 2

your the idiot

Answer 3

no, because the other passengers could gang up on you and confiscate your phone out of annoyance

Answer 4

There is no such thing as "airplane mode".  These people must be goofing.  If the phone has something under that name, then it's probably something like mute or low volume.  Cell phones have no service 1000' feet above ground or moving at anything more than 300 mph.  There is a developing technology where the plane can be configured with a cell phone transponder to communicate with antennae on the ground, but generally speaking, cell phones are dead on airplanes.   You would need a 30,000' tall antenna.

Answer 5

Yes as long as it is on airplane mode it is no longer emitting a signal so you can play all the games you want. They can ask you to turn it off though. Telll them its on airplane mode and if they still give you c**p just turn it off. Some dinosaurs don't understand new technology.I always flew with mine on airplane mode.

Answer 6

Yes, only at terminal altitude, though. During ascent and descent, it should be turned off.

Answer 7

yes you can they always just fear that there will be radio interuption, there is a setting on your phone to turn off the connection. on a sanyo its airplane mode, on motorola you turn off your network... both of those may be found under the settings.

Hope it helped!

Answer 8

They can still ask you to turn it off because of the slight possibility of freqeuncy interuptions but in all honesty, it most likely wont interfere and they are just being lame...I would suggest turning it off because of 2 factors.

1. No one wants to hear you yapping on your phone while they sit all cramped up beside/ around you.

2. It would be embarrassing to have a flight attendent come up to you in front of a lot of people and tell you to turn your phone off. (not likely unless of course you have it sitting out and are playing with it)

Answer 9

The biggest problem with using a cell phone in an airplane is its effect on the ground-based cell phone towers.  Being in the air, you are within view of more towers and you are zooming by at a speed the network is not built to handle.  So having a sky full of cell phone users could wreak havoc on the cell network (although at cruising altitude you are outside the range of the towers).

There is always the slight possibility that ANY electronic device could interfere with the airplane radios and guidance systems, which is why they ask you to turn off everything, even iPods, during takeoff and landings.  Putting your phone into airplane mode shuts off just the wireless communications on your phone, so it becomes like any other iPod or laptop, which should be fine to use during the flight.  However, even a phone with airplane mode should still be powered off completely during takeoff and landing.  

Lastly, you should always obey the flight attendants, regardless of the reasoning.  If you have a complaint, wait until you are on the ground and report it to the airline.

Answer 10

no, the faa claims it is to prevent interference with the navigation system.

Answer 11

simple answer. The current FAA and Transport Canada laws state that A pilot can carry and use a cell phone in an emergency, however passengers are not allowed to use cell phones in the air

Answer 12

They are still working on that I think. Yesterdays news had a guy being met and arrested by San Antonio police for refusing to get off his cell in flight.....I am deaf, last telephone I recall using was big, black, had a cord and circular dial. I really don't know about the technology. My folks were old fashioned even in 1972...I do know though if anyone on a flight crew tells you to do something you better do it. If not I guess you better use that cell phone to call a good bail bondsman to get you out of that cell on arrival.....

Answer 13

yes even if u have airplane mode they still tell you to turn it off because they think no matter what even if it on or off airplane mode they still think there's a signal that will interfere with the navigation system

Answer 14

No not in the air

Answer 15

it depends if your cell fone has the capablilty of 'flight mode' it is usually with the profiles (silent, general, vibrate etc.) my cell fone does and i turned it on flight and this de-activates any signals that may distrupt the navigation of the plane such as bluetooth, infrared, wi-fi etc. but before you use any electronics on the plane you must tell your hostess, this is important. and they may tell you to turn it off unless your flight attendant is dumb or you dont explain it properly

Answer 16

yeah

but go to tools and switch it to airplane mode

Answer 17

Airplane mode? A very interesting concept...

I guess it transmits secretly, or, well, I feel if I answer this question honestly, I will be subject to harsh criticism for no reason whatsoever, beleaguered by non-colleagues, pasteurized, homogenized, folded, spindled and mutilated, so I'll pass on this one like an Audi A6 on the autobahn...

Answer 18

Go ahead. Recommend you consult with a good parchute fitter first 'cause your going out the nearest exit when they catch you. Your not the same guy/gal that keeps lighting up in the washrooms; ARE YOU?

Answer 19

I wish. They always ask you to turn them off...

Answer 20

Well...to answer your question Mr. "I'm too good for coach because, well, ewww, there are, like, normal people back there that definitely can't be graced with my high class presence."  There have been hundreds of tests done to see what kind of interference (if any) was caused by cell phones to navigation and communication equipment.  They all came back with a negligible impact.  And no, there is no FAA regulations prohibiting cell phone usage.  Airlines have the policies against using cell phones.  The only time the FAA would get involved is if you refused to turn off your cell phone after being told to do so.  It would then be classified as refusing to follow flight crew instructions, and you would go to jail.  Yes you can have your phone in airplane mode as it turns off the transceiver (or, as one poster said, sends highly secretive code because cell phone manufactures would definitely do that)...h**l, you can leave it all the way on, but you can't talk on it as you don't get any bars at cruise altitude.

Maybe I'll see you in first class sometime!!

Answer 21

if u fly first why should the airline care

faa is full of goverment lies u get great reseption up 30000 feet

if u can switch off the intena u may still use ur phone(s) if ur above 10000 feet ask so u dont get locked up lol

Answer 22

You can use airplane mode when they tell you that you may use electronic devices.  I'm assuming that you want to use your multimedia phone to listen to music or something like that.  Most airlines don't have a problem with that after the announcement is made that you may use approved electronic devices approximately 5 minutes after takeoff.

EDIT: My answer is assuming that "airplane mode" is referring to turning off ALL transmit/receive functions (cell phone and bluetooth), so you're basically left with a PDA/music player.  I'm a pilot and I do this all of the time in flight with my Blackberry - I turn off all radio functions so I'm at least left with a calculator, which I regularly use in flight.  Passengers use this mode all of the time to listen to music.  If a flight attendant asks you about it, you can state that all transmit/receive modes have been turned off and that you're just listening to music.  If you are asked to turn it off after that, just do it.  Don't interfere with crewmember instructions.