Phones must be off or they crash planes
No aircraft has been confirmed to crash due to a passenger's phone. The FAA relaxed restrictions in 2013, and the FCC - not the FAA - bans in-flight cellular transmission to protect ground tower networks rather than aircraft safety. Airlines increasingly offer in-flight Wi-Fi and cellular service.
What we know
The prohibition on cellular use in aircraft originated from theoretical concerns in the 1990s that cellular signals could interfere with avionics. The FAA's 2013 InFO13010 advisory relaxed restrictions, allowing personal electronic devices in airplane mode during all phases of flight. The remaining cellular ban is primarily enforced by the FCC to prevent phones from simultaneously connecting to multiple ground-based cell towers at altitude, which would interfere with terrestrial cellular networks.
No aviation accident investigation by the NTSB or international equivalents has ever conclusively attributed a crash to a passenger's phone. Modern aircraft are tested and certified against electromagnetic interference far stronger than consumer electronics produce. Airlines voluntarily request airplane mode use as a precautionary measure and to comply with FCC rules, not because of a proven crash risk.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved the use of 5G networks on commercial aircraft within European airspace in 2023, and several European carriers began offering 5G in-flight connectivity. This development further reflects the established safety of in-flight mobile devices when properly integrated with aircraft systems.
Common claims
- Using a phone on a plane can cause it to crashFalse. No crash has been attributed to passenger phone use, and modern avionics are certified against much stronger interference.
- The FAA banned phones on planes because they are dangerousMostly false. The FAA relaxed PED restrictions in 2013; the cellular ban comes from the FCC over ground network concerns.
- Airlines now allow phones in airplane mode throughout the flightTrue. FAA InFO13010 from 2013 permits all personal electronics in airplane mode for the entire flight.