"Flight mode" phone use banned on Ryanair. Is this a worldwide phenomenon?

9/21/2011 9:00:42 PM

It’s certainly not a policy or trend that would affect most companies. On some airlines (at least Finnair, if my memory serves) the pre-flight security info now specifically mentions flight mode, and instructs you to activate it at that point, i.e. before (turning the thing off for) takeoff.

In the last year I’ve flown with ~9 different carriers, 3 of which low-cost, and only on one of them (not sure but probably Ryanair) they said something like “keep your phone switched off even if it has flight mode”. (Well, I pretended I didn’t hear or understand that part and had no problems enjoying my music later on.)

7/15/2011 3:52:05 PM

I don’t think this is going to be the case for all airlines. Air NZ recently announced people would be able to make calls from their cellphones while in flight… that won’t be cheap!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/3741430/Air-NZs-new-planes-allow-mobile-phones

7/12/2011 7:05:47 AM

Implementation of rules on whether a device should be allowed in flight mode or not is spotty. Ryanair is one that I’ve come across that has a blanket ban; I’ve also encountered the same rule on Tiger Airways (which operates in South-East Asia / Australia sector). Not surprising, perhaps, when you consider that when it was started it was partly owned by Ryanair’s owner. I’ve also come across the same rule on one of the Thai low-cost airlines – Orient Thai or Nok Air – I forget which one.

I think it’s just a case that it’s quicker to check whether a device is switched off rather than checking whether it’s in flight mode. Most of these low-cost airlines have short turnaround times (same plane that lands in a city flies back within 45-60 minutes), and their pre-flight check is faster if they can just zip through the aisle telling people to switch off their mobile devices. I haven’t been told I can’t use a device in flight mode on a full-service airline.

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Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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