Joe McConnell
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We all know the routine by heart: “Make sure your seats are upright, tray tables stowed, window shades up, laptops stowed in overhead bins, and electronic devices set to airplane mode.”
Now, the first four are reasonable, right? Window shades should be up so you can see if there is an emergency, like a fire. Trays should be stowed away and seats should be upright so you can exit the row quickly. Laptops can become projectiles in an emergency, as the seat back pockets are not strong enough to hold them.
And cell phones need to be set to airplane mode so they don’t cause an emergency on the plane, right? Well, it depends on who you ask.
Air navigation and communication are based on radio services, coordinated since the 1920s to minimize interference.
The digital technology in use today is much more advanced than some of the older analog technologies we used even 60 years ago. Research has shown that personal electronic devices can emit a signal within the same frequency band as aircraft communications and navigation systems, creating what is known as electromagnetic interference.
But in 1992, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, in an independent study, examined the use of electronic devices on aircraft interference and found no problems with computers or other personal electronic devices during non-critical phases of flight. (Takeoffs and landings are considered the critical phases.)
The US Federal Communications Commission has also begun to set aside frequency bands for different uses, such as cell phones and aircraft navigation and communications, so that they do not interfere with each other. Governments around the world have developed similar strategies and policies to prevent interference problems with aviation. In the EU, electronic devices have been allowed to remain on since 2014.
Why then, with these global standards in place, has the aviation industry continued to ban the use of cell phones? One of the problems lies in something you might not expect: Earth interference.
Wireless networks are connected by a series of towers; the networks could become overloaded if passengers flying on these terrestrial networks all used their phones. The number of passengers flying in 2021 was more than 2.2 billion, or half the number of passengers in 2019. Wireless companies may be right.
Of course, when it comes to mobile networks, the biggest change in recent years is the move to a new standard. Today’s 5G wireless networks, desirable for their faster data transfer speeds, have caused concern for many in the aviation industry.
The radio frequency bandwidth is limited, but we are still trying to add new devices to it. The aviation industry points out that the bandwidth spectrum of the 5G wireless network is remarkably close to the bandwidth spectrum reserved for aviation, which could cause interference with navigation systems near airports that assist with aircraft landing.
Airline Executives Are Worried About Your Cell Phone’s 5G Network. Here’s Why (2021)
Airport operators in Australia and the United States have raised concerns about aviation safety related to the 5G rollout, but it appears to have rolled out without such issues in the European Union. In either case, it is prudent to limit mobile phone use on planes while the 5G issues are ironed out.
Most airlines now provide customers with Wi-Fi services that are either paid or free. With new Wi-Fi technologies, passengers could theoretically use their cell phones to video chat with friends or clients during the flight.
On a recent flight, I spoke to a flight attendant and asked her opinion on using phones on flights. It would be inconvenient for the cabin crew to wait until passengers were finished with their calls to ask if they wanted something to eat or drink, she said. On a commercial plane with more than 200 passengers, in-flight service would take longer to complete if everyone was making phone calls.
For me, the issue of in-flight phone use is more about the social experience of having 200+ people on a plane, potentially all talking at once. In an era where disruptive passenger behaviors, including “air rage,” are increasingly common, in-flight phone use could be another trigger that changes the entire flight experience.
Disruptive behaviors take many forms, from failure to follow safety rules, such as failure to wear seat belts, to verbal arguments with other passengers and cabin crew, to physical arguments with passengers and cabin crew, commonly referred to as “air rage.”
In conclusion, the use of in-flight phones does not currently compromise the ability of the aircraft to function. However, cabin crews may prefer not to be late in providing in-flight service to all passengers: there are so many people to serve.
However, 5G technology is invading the radio bandwidth of air navigation systems; we will need more research to answer the question of 5G interference with air navigation during landings. Remember that when we talk about the two most critical phases of flight, takeoffs are optional, but landings are mandatory.
