This article was originally published in 2023; it was most recently updated on August 28, 2026, to include current information.
If you’ve flown British Airways since March 2026, you may have noticed a big change: Not only do passengers get a free pass from the airplane-mode requirement, but they are now also allowed to make voice and video calls on Starlink-equipped planes.
Meanwhile, in the USA, airlines still tell passengers to switch to airplane mode when the doors close. Why the difference? And does airplane mode really matter?
Here is the latest on what happens in airplane mode, when you still have to use it, and why.
What does airplane mode do?
Turning on airplane mode disables all wireless and cellular signals coming from the phone. Once the phone is in airplane mode (also called flight mode on some devices) though, users can manually toggle select signals back on, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Do Bluetooth and Wi-Fi work in airplane mode?
Yes. Many phones these days will even remember your preferences and automatically keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on when you switch to airplane mode.
Does airplane mode save battery?
Yes. There’s an upside to airplane mode’s lack of connection that’s especially helpful for travelers: Phones use less power when in airplane mode and that means longer battery life and slightly faster charging.
Why are airplane passengers asked to put their phones in airplane mode?
In the U.S., the reason is safety. Per an Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular issued in 2017 and still in effect, the reason is possible interference: “The FCC prohibits cellular telephone operation while airborne, as noted in Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (47 CFR) part 22, § 22.925. This restriction is valid for all aircraft without technical provisions that enable control of onboard mobile devices to eliminate interference between ground-based cellular stations and airborne cellular devices.”
What happens if you don’t switch to airplane mode in-flight?
The concern is that a phone’s radio transmissions could get in the way of the systems that planes use during the flight.
The system most in question is the radio altimeter. This device measures the distance of an aircraft from the ground, and for years, there has been concern that 5G signals (shorthand for fifth-generation wireless cellular network technology) could affect the readings.
In July 2026, the FAA issued a final rule (after a few years of debate) mandating that all aircraft radio altimeters operating in U.S. airspace be upgraded so that they can tolerate interference from 5G network signals.
Can your phone even get a signal when you’re flying?
Technically, yes. As explained by Sven Bilén, a professor of engineering design, electrical engineering, and aerospace engineering at Penn State University, in How Stuff Works: If the plane is low enough (generally below 10,000 feet), cellular calls or texts might be able to connect, though they’d be pinging different cell towers as the plane moved, so the connection probably wouldn’t be great and could interfere with ground networks. Above that altitude, it’s unlikely you’d be able to make a cellular call unless the plane was outfitted with its own mobile service (like Virgin Atlantic planes had back in the 2010s).
But none of that means cell phone calls are allowed. In the United States, the Code of Federal Regulations states that the FCC prohibits use of cell phones when the plane is airborne: “Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground). When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off.”
Taking that a step further, a bipartisan group of Congressional representatives introduced the Quiet Skies Act in July 2026, to turn the regulation into a law that would ban in-flight calls.
Are the rules different in the U.S. than in other countries?
Yes, and that’s due to the communications technology used in other countries, as well as how their airline safety is mandated.
For example, the EU mandated that 5G technology be available on planes in 2023. Now passengers don’t have to turn on airplane mode and can use their phone’s data during a flight the same way they would on the ground.
However, that upgrade didn’t automatically mean 5G could support voice calls, or that passengers would be permitted to. That milestone only happened recently, when British Airways announced in March 2026 that voice calls would be allowed during flights on aircraft equipped with Starlink, the high-speed satellite Wi-Fi network.
BA isn’t the only airline with Starlink capabilities. In fact, U.S. airlines including United, Hawaiian, and Westjet also have Starlink (Southwest and American are in the process), but they prohibit voice calls. That rule could be made into law if the newly proposed Quiet Skies Act passes.
What happens if you don’t comply?
As travelers have no doubt heard on their flights, FCC and FAA regulations mandate that passengers follow all flight safety regulations, including those dealing with electronic devices. As written in the Code of Federal Regulations: “The use of cellular telephones while this aircraft is airborne is prohibited by FCC rules, and the violation of this rule could result in suspension of service and/or a fine. The use of cellular telephones while this aircraft is on the ground is subject to FAA regulations.”
And while it’s hard for flight attendants to notice whether you’ve toggled your phone to airplane mode, do you really want to be that passenger? What’s next—are you going to take off your shoes and go barefoot?
