Window shades need to be up so we can see if there’s an emergency, such as fire. Tray tables need to be stowed and seats upright so we can get out of the row quickly. Well, it depends whom you ask.
Technology has advanced a great deal
Aviation navigation and communication relies on radio services, which has been coordinated to minimize interference since the 1920s.
The digital technology currently in use is much more advanced than some of the older analog technologies we used even 60 years ago. Either way, it is prudent to limit mobile phone use on planes while issues around 5G are sorted out.
Ultimately, we can’t forget air rage
Most airlines now provide customers with Wi-Fi services that are either pay-as-you-go or free. On an airliner with 200+ passengers, in-flight service would take longer to complete if everyone was making phone calls.
For me, the problem with in-flight use of phones is more about the social experience of having 200+ people on a plane, and all potentially talking at once. In a time when disruptive passenger behaviour, including “air rage”, is increasingly frequent, phone use in flight might be another trigger that changes the whole flight experience.
Disruptive behaviours take on various forms, from noncompliance to safety requirements such as not wearing seat belts, verbal altercations with fellow passengers and cabin crew, to physical altercations with passengers and cabin crews – typically identified as air rage.
In conclusion – in-flight use of phones does not currently impair the aircraft’s ability to operate.
