The End of Airplane Mode: Now the Phones Can Be Used in Flight

An exciting new era begins in the world of air travel. You are undoubtedly aware that using a mobile phone in on an airplane was subject to quite severe restrictions up until recently. It was mandatory for everyone on board, including the flight attendants, to put their personal devices into Airplane Mode or power them off completely. As a consequence of this, passengers on long-distance flights are required to pay expensive rates in order to access the Wi-Fi service. In spite of this, the rules of the game have been altered as a result of the development of cutting-edge technology. Soon, airline customers travelling inside the borders of the European Union (EU) will be allowed to make full use of the mobile devices they bring along with them.

Is this the end of airplane mode?

In 2008, the European Union Commission set up airspace-dedicated frequency bands and authorized a few firms to provide in-flight internet connectivity. This service, however, is both poor and costly. Passengers had no choice except to go to airplane mode on their electronic gadgets. But the regulations have been altered. The European Union has ruled that travelers do not have to switch to "airplane mode" on their mobile devices when flying.

After much consideration, the European Commission has decided to do away with the "airplane mode" requirement. The 30th of June, 2023, is the deadline for member nations to make the 5G frequency bands accessible for airlines. This means that passengers will be able to make and receive calls, as well as use media-heavy applications like Spotify and Netflix while in the air. The European Commission claims that the new system will be able to make use of the substantially higher download rates afforded by 5G, which may be in excess of 100 Mbps. "There was a fear that they may interfere with autonomous flight control systems," said Dai Whittingham, chief executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee. From what has been learned from experience, the possibility of interference is negligible. The standard advice has always been to switch to airplane mode once in the air.