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

TECH gadgets have become a huge part of our lives and for most people, staying connected to their network of friends and family is hugely important.

So when travelling abroad, what are the rules concerning airplane mode while using your mobile phone on a flight?

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

Passengers are asked to switch off their phones or put devices on aeroplane mode when flying.

In 2018, one passenger on an Aer Lingus flight stored their phone in the overhead luggage compartment but did not realise that the handset had not been switched into "aeroplane mode".

They ended up with a £235 bill.

Huge roaming charges can be added to your bill by your mobile carrier, as the flight heads over many countries en route to your destination.

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 Wi-Fi on board, this can then be used safely without any additional charges.

There is no formal fine for forgetting to put your mobile phone in "airplane mode" when travelling from the UK on flights.

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

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

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

Aeroplane 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.”

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

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 a plane 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 aeroplanes 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.

Member states of the EU are working towards having 5G available on flights for passengers to connect to as the technology operates on a bandwidth that guarantees no potential for affecting any instruments that are integral to the smooth operating of flights.

They have been urged to do so by June 2023.