Why Airplane Mode? Air Arabia Reveals What Your Phone Does Mid-Flight
By Thasmiya
That familiar request to switch your phone to **airplane mode** before take-off is more than just another cabin announcement.
Air Arabia has explained what actually happens when passengers leave their phones connected to a mobile network during a flight — and why switching to airplane mode still matters even on modern aircraft.
According to the airline, a phone that is not in airplane mode will continue trying to find a mobile network while the aircraft is thousands of feet above the ground.
## **What does your phone do when you are flying?**
Your smartphone is designed to maintain a connection with nearby mobile towers.
When an aircraft climbs to cruising altitude, that connection becomes difficult or impossible to maintain. But unless airplane mode is activated, the phone does not simply give up.
It continues searching for an available mobile network.
Air Arabia explained that activating airplane mode stops this continuous cellular-network search and prevents unnecessary mobile signals from being transmitted during the flight.
## **Why do airlines ask you to use airplane mode?**
One of the main reasons is to minimise unnecessary radio transmissions around aircraft systems.
Air Arabia says using airplane mode helps ensure onboard systems operate smoothly throughout the journey. Aviation rules around mobile devices have historically also been designed to minimise the possibility of electronic interference with aircraft communication and navigation equipment.
This does not mean that forgetting airplane mode for a few minutes will suddenly cause an aircraft to malfunction.
There is no established evidence that an ordinary passenger phone has caused an aircraft crash. However, reducing unnecessary transmitting signals remains a simple precaution, particularly when clear communication between pilots and air traffic control is important.
## **Your battery could also thank you**
There is another practical reason to activate airplane mode: **battery life**.
When your phone cannot find a stable network, it can repeatedly search for one. That process consumes power even though you are unlikely to establish a useful conventional mobile connection at cruising altitude.
Switching to airplane mode stops that network search, potentially helping your phone retain more battery during a long flight.
## **Can you still use your phone in airplane mode?**
Yes.
Airplane mode does not mean your phone has to remain untouched for the entire journey.
Passengers can still use their devices for activities such as taking photos, watching downloaded films, listening to downloaded music, reading or playing offline games.
Depending on the aircraft and airline service, Wi-Fi can also be switched back on separately while the cellular connection remains disabled.
## **Air Arabia has its own onboard entertainment network**
Air Arabia passengers can use **SkyTime**, the airline’s complimentary in-flight entertainment service.
The airline’s official instructions actually begin with switching your device to airplane mode. Passengers can then activate Wi-Fi, connect to the **SkyTime** network and access entertainment on their phone, tablet or laptop.
SkyTime offers content including movies, television programmes, documentaries, music, games and destination information.
Air Arabia also offers paid onboard connectivity on supported flights, allowing passengers to browse, chat or check messages through approved onboard Wi-Fi packages.
## **So Wi-Fi and airplane mode can work together?**
Yes, and this is where many passengers get confused.
Turning on airplane mode disables the phone’s normal cellular radio. You can then manually switch Wi-Fi back on and connect to an airline-approved onboard network.
On Air Arabia, for example, the instructions for SkyTime are essentially:
Switch on airplane mode.
Turn Wi-Fi back on.
Connect to the SkyTime network.
Access the onboard entertainment service.
Your phone therefore remains disconnected from conventional mobile towers while still communicating with the aircraft’s approved Wi-Fi system.
## **What happens if you forget to turn airplane mode on?**
For an individual passenger, probably nothing dramatic.
The concern is not that one forgotten smartphone will automatically put a flight in danger. Instead, airplane mode reduces unnecessary transmissions and potential sources of interference.
With potentially hundreds of electronic devices onboard an aircraft, following the same procedure also creates a predictable environment for the crew and aircraft systems.
## **What about 5G phones?**
Modern mobile networks have made the issue more complicated.
Aviation authorities in different parts of the world have examined potential interactions between certain 5G frequencies and aircraft equipment, particularly radio altimeters used during approaches and landings.
Regulations vary between countries, and aviation and telecommunications technology continues to evolve. For passengers, however, the rule remains simple: follow the cabin crew’s instructions and keep the device in airplane mode whenever required.
## **You don’t have to switch your phone completely off**
This is perhaps the biggest misconception about airplane mode.
Unless specifically instructed by the crew, passengers generally do not need to keep their smartphone completely switched off throughout the flight.
Airplane mode allows you to continue using many of the phone’s normal offline functions while disabling its cellular connection.
That means you can still take photos from the window, watch something you downloaded before travelling, listen to music or connect to an approved onboard Wi-Fi service.
## **Why this matters**
Airplane mode may feel like a small and outdated part of flying, but there is a practical reason behind it.
Without it, your phone can continue searching for mobile towers while travelling thousands of feet above the ground, wasting battery and transmitting unnecessary signals. Switching airplane mode on stops that cellular search while still allowing passengers to use many of their device’s features.
And on airlines such as Air Arabia, airplane mode does not mean going offline completely — passengers can switch Wi-Fi back on and use approved services such as SkyTime.
So the next time the cabin crew makes the announcement, that little airplane icon is doing more than you might think.
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