Pilot explains the real reason phones need to be in plane mode: ‘Not a conspiracy’

It’s the one thing we are all told to do once seated inside the plane cabin. Now, a pilot reveals the real reason why.

This is why keeping your phone on won’t fly.

A pilot is going viral after answering a question that’s on every passenger’s mind — why do we need to toggle our smartphones to plane mode before takeoff?

He broke down why this precaution is so important in a video PSA with over 2 million views on TikTok.

“The plane mode button on your phone is not a conspiracy,” declared the pilot, who goes by @perchpoint on the platform, in the footage.

The aviator began the video by reassuring viewers that forgetting this protocol “won’t cause the plane to “fall out of the sky” or even really “mess with the systems on board”.

However, if too many flyers forgo this step, it can inadvertently monkey with the pilots’ radio communications with the control tower, per the clip.

“If you have an aircraft with 70, 80, 150 people on board, and even three or four people’s phones start to try to make a connection to a radio tower for an incoming phone call, it sends out radio waves,” the captain explained.

“There’s the potential that those radio waves can interfere with the radio waves of the headset that the pilots are using.”

Pilot reveals real reason why you're supposed to switch off your phone. Picture: TikTok/perchpoin

He said if too many flyers forgo this step, it can inadvertently monkey with the pilots’ radio communications. Picture: iStock

He recalled a recent flight where he was using his headset to get “clearance on which way to go” and the message interference made it feel like there was a “mosquito” in his ear.

“It’s definitely not the end of the world but it’s pretty annoying when you’re trying to copy down instructions and it sounds like there’s a wasp or something flying around,” the TikTokker declared.

“So if you’re ever curious why you’ve got to put on plane mode, that’s why.”

In fact, US law requires that passengers switch their phones to plane mode while flying.

There’s an actual reason to switch off your phone to plane mode. Picture: TikTok/perchpoin

“Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard planes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground),” reads the code of federal regulations.

“When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been republished with permission