Pilot’s explanation for requiring passengers to toggle on Airplane Mode doesn’t fly some say

The pilot wants you to know that failing to activate Airplane Mode won’t cause the plane to “fall out of the sky” or “mess with the systems on board.” But he did say that if too many passengers on the plane fail to toggle on Airplane Mode on their phones, it could lead to issues when the pilot and the control tower need to communicate. According to the pilot, this could happen on a flight if as few as three or four phones are trying to make a connection to a radio tower to receive an incoming phone call.

As an example, the pilot recalled a recent flight from San Francisco. The engines were started and the plane was headed for the taxiways when he contacted ground control to find out which way to go. While using his headset he experienced interference that made it feel as though there was a mosquito in his ear. The pilot admits that this isn’t the end of the world but notes how annoying it is to copy down instructions from the tower while feeling as though “there’s a wasp or something flying around.” He ends the video by saying, “So if you’re ever curious why you’ve got to put on airplane mode, that’s why.”

Others said that the real reason why pilots ask for passengers to turn on Airplane Mode is to prevent some passengers from gabbing on their phones throughout the flight disturbing the majority of those onboard seeking to relax and sleep while onboard the plane. Regardless of the actual reason why airline passengers are asked to enable Airplane Mode on their phones, the best comment came from one traveler who heeds the pilot’s request when he flies and suggests that everyone respect the person in charge of their lives while they are aboard the plane.