Can I be fined for not putting my phone on aeroplane mode during a flight?

TRAVELLERS on planes are always recommended to switch their mobiles to aeroplane mode while on board.

This is a safety precaution as mobiles can interfere with a plane’s communication system.

GettyIt is recommended plane travellers switch their phones to aeroplane mode while on board[/caption]

Can I be fined for not putting my phone on aeroplane mode during a flight?

Travellers who do not switch their phones to the aeroplane mode could find themselves facing a huge bill if they do not follow the instructions.

According to the Financial Review, one young traveller found himself $300 (£245) out of pocket when he forgot to turn on flight mode during an Aer Lingus flight.

After putting his phone in the overheard compartment, he didn’t realise he had not turned off signal and roaming.

It then connected to the plane’s in-flight network Aeromobile, which the provider explained was due to the “antennas installed on the plane”.

An Aer Lingus spokesperson told Financial Review that crew “advise” passengers to put their phones on airplane mode as it could “connect to the in-flight roaming network and the guest will be billed by their home operator for any usage”.

On their website, Virgin Atlantic warns: “The charges are almost the same as they would be if you were roaming from another country.

“The calls and texts will just be added to your mobile bill after you’ve flown.”

Passengers who want to avoid being caught out should turn their flight mode on as soon as they board the plane, and leave it on until they land.

If there is free WiFi on board, this can then be used safety without any additional charges.

Why do I have to use aeroplane mode during a flight?

Mobile phone signals can interfere with aircraft navigational and landing guidance systems.

Interference can occur with some types of mobiles or a combination of a number of mobiles still left on.

Airplane mode is a setting on smartphones and tablets that turns off most or all of a device’s wireless communication features. This includes shutting down cellular connections, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth so that no calls, messages or data can be sent or received.

While leaving your phone on is highly unlikely to cause a plane to crash the more people who have mobiles transmitting signals the more feedback noise and distraction is present for the pilots. That distraction could be enough to cause a problem in flight.

Bobby Laurie, host of the TV show The Jet Set, and former flight attendant, said: “The best way that a pilot explained it to me was, if you’ve ever left your cell phone next to a speaker—just before it rang, you would hear that clicking noise from the speaker.

“That’s kind of what they hear in their headsets and in-flight deck speaker system when they’re communicating.”

“Practically, there is no effect on the aircraft, but without the [safety] certification, the use of 3G/4G band cannot be allowed,” said Matti Keskinarkaus, the deputy fleet chief pilot at Finnair.

While leaving your phone on is highly unlikely to cause a plane to crash the more people who have mobiles transmitting signals the more feedback noise and distraction is present for the pilots. That distraction could be enough to cause a problem in flight.

GettyIt is possible to use a mobile during a flight[/caption]

Will my phone work on a flight?

The short answer is yes they will, as will most other electronic devices like iPads and Kindles.

Although they have to be in range of a cellular tower.

The maximum distance at which a phone can still make calls and send texts varies depending on the type of tower and transmitter, but an airplane would have to be no more than 10,000 feet in the air for any cell phones on board to still have a signal

Some airplanes offer inflight wireless connections that can be used to connect to the internet and make calls and send texts using services such as Skype and WhatsApp.