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Why do airlines ask you to turn off electronic devices? Let's find out! - Prune

Music, games, or texting friends is your best pastime when you're looking at a long journey ahead of you. You might want to sit back and relax with your all-time favourite gadget or catch up on social media updates. But it's not as easy as it seems when you have a flight to catch. During your travels, you must have heard formal announcements made on flights that ask you to switch off your mobile phones and other electronic devices that you're carrying with you.

The flight attendants even check on every passenger before flight takeoff to ensure that everyone firmly follows this rule. Have you ever wondered why you are asked to follow this rule? And what happens if anyone ends up using the devices anyway? These questions must have run through your mind during a flight at least once.

While there's no formal rule from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to turn off electronic devices, the reason to avoid their use while travelling is simple. Electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and gaming consoles connect to mobile phone networks on the ground and emit strong radio waves at high altitudes. And these could interfere with the aircraft's navigational technology.

It could disrupt the aeronautical equipment in the cockpit area and might influence the readings needed by the pilots during crucial and sensitive moments like flight takeoff and landings. However, this has never led to an airplane accident. If they had imposed such a threat, the gadgets wouldn't be allowed on flights at all. It is more of a safety measure that should always be in place, and it is an attempt to avoid any potential technical problem while flying.

These days, flights at least allow the use of mobile phones and laptops, as long as they are on airplane mode. And some airplanes also have in-flight Wi-Fi which passengers can use to watch movies and shows. There are several other similar rules during flight takeoff and landing, like keeping the shades open, seats upright, and seat belts on.

So it's always best to follow the rules and avoid the risks of flying with electronic devices as much as possible. What do you think about this? Let us know!

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