Airplane Mode
Perico Durán is not just any pilot. With over 25 years of experience navigating the skies across half the world, this veteran commercial flight commander has become one of the spokespersons for the aviation sector. Last week, his statements regarding the controversial 'airplane mode' sparked a wide debate among passengers and experts: "Smarter people than us think something could happen if we don't turn it on," Durán himself stated.
During an interview broadcast on the podcast 'Take It With Wine', which specializes in aviation and travel, Durán addressed this recurring topic when flying: the necessity of activating 'airplane mode' on electronic devices during takeoff and landing. "What might happen is perhaps a false indication of something, a distraction at a moment," Durán explained.
Aviation safety regulations are created to eliminate any minimal risk, no matter how small: "We're going to tell people to put their devices in airplane mode to avoid a distraction," added the experienced pilot. 'Airplane mode', a feature present on all mobile devices, disables wireless transmissions - like mobile signal, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth - which, in certain circumstances, can cause minor interference with the aircraft's navigation or communication systems.
Although aircraft standards are very robust and designed to withstand a certain level of interference, Durán reminds us that disregarding the crew's orders can result in completely avoidable distractions: "What does aviation say? Look, when we're close to the ground, which is when mobiles start emitting more, we're going to tell people to put their devices in airplane mode to avoid a distraction."
As Durán has made clear, the pilot requires 100% reliability from 'the little screen'. Therefore, he considers it important to activate 'airplane mode' on phones and urges passengers to follow this vital rule: "What does it matter to you? It's 10 minutes from 10,000 feet until you land. Put it in airplane mode and avoid a distraction, which is nonsense. It's just 10 minutes without your phone; nothing will happen," stated the flight captain.
In recent years, the relaxation of regulations by European and American authorities has caused some confusion. Some airlines now allow the use of Wi-Fi on board or even to keep the mobile phone on in normal mode, as long as it's connected to an internal Wi-Fi network. However, some pilots are adamant that while an airline may offer Wi-Fi, it doesn't mean you can have your mobile connected to the mobile data network in mid-flight. Takeoff and landing are critical moments.
According to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), there is no proven direct correlation between serious accidents and mobile phone use, but there have been recorded technical anomalies coinciding with interference.
On the other hand, what most bothers pilots is not so much the technology, but rather the attitude of certain passengers. Some travelers believe that because they are tech-savvy or have some education, they know more than the crew, which is not the case. There are years of training and simulation behind each procedure. Refusing to switch to airplane mode is as irresponsible as not wearing a seatbelt.