Most people have been on a plane at least once in their life. And if you have, you must be wondering why it’s necessary to turn on airplane mode and whether you can use wifi in the airplane.
To know why you need to turn on airplane mode, we first need to know how a plane works. Planes work utilizing radio waves or electromagnetic waves. These waves are transmitted and received through antennas, much like our cell phones.
Airplanes have antennas that are used for communication purposes as well as navigation purposes. The antennas are also used to communicate with the airport control tower and other aircrafts flying near the plane.
Internet connectivity on planes works by using satellite technology which is just another way of using radio waves or electromagnetic waves.
These radio signals can cause interference with the antennae on the plane, which can lead to issues with communication between the aircraft and the air traffic control tower or other aircrafts flying nearby. This is why your phone prompts you to turn off your wifi before takeoff and landing.
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So can you use the Internet on a Plane?
Well yes, you can use the wifi on the airplane. You need to turn on Airplane Mode if you want to use the wifi and vice versa.
When you are on a flight, there isn’t any cell reception as you are up in the air. So you must turn on the Airplane mode on your phone or device. It will help make sure that your device doesn’t try to use cell towers to connect to the internet.
Can you use Cellular Data on the plane?
If you are one of those who regularly use your phone or tablet to browse or play a game or listen to music on a plane, then we have good news for you. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there is no official law prohibiting the use of cellular data on the plane.
So you can surely access cellular data on a plane. This means that you can benefit from SMS and MMS benefits during your flight. For example, now you can check in on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram from 30,000 feet above sea level.
Though, most airlines instruct their customers to make sure they have turned on Airplane mode or their phones. In this regard, the best alternative is the use of wifi provided by the Airline.
Do airlines provide W-Fi connection in the airplane?
Good news: Yes, a wifi connection is available in the airplane depending on the company. Not all airlines offer wifi services to their customers on board.
If you’re wondering whether your flight will have wifi or not, there are a couple of ways to find out. You can check your airline’s website or its app, or you can use websites like Flight Aware and Expert Flyer to find out. If you use Travelocity, Orbitz, or Expedia to book your flight tickets, you can also find information about wifi availability there.
If you’re flying domestically and using one of the big three carriers – American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, or United Airlines – wifi is available on most flights. But even if it is available, it’s not free, you’ll have to pay for Internet access.
So how much does it cost? Prices vary between airlines, but here’s a quick rundown;
- American Airlines: On domestic flights, Internet access costs $12 for the entire flight for laptops and tablets, smartphones cost $8 for the entire flight and $4 for one hour of access.
- Delta Air Lines: Domestic flights cost $16 for 24 hours of service; flights to Latin America or the Caribbean cost $12.
How to know your Airline provides a board wifi connection?
Inflight wifi – The airline industry is changing rapidly, one of the changes is the availability of wifi connectivity for travelers. It is estimated that by 2022, 70% of global airlines will provide wifi on their flights.
You can use your mobile phone to check if there is a wifi connection available on board. When you switch on your phone’s wifi setting, you will see a list of available internet connections nearby. If you see a network named ‘Gogo Inflight’ (or something similar), it means that your flight has a wifi connection.
If you don’t see any such network, it means that there is no internet connection available on your flight and you cannot use the internet while traveling in that particular airplane.
FAQs
Do airlines provide free wifi?
Yes! It’s true. Most major airlines provide free wifi inflight. However, it differs depending on the airline and plane. Please visit our resource page for more information.
Will you pay for wifi on the airline?
Some airlines offer wifi for an additional charge. Other airlines don’t offer any wifi at all! If you’d rather not spend the money, we recommend BlueSky Network’s wireless pocket hotspot. It allows you to access high-speed internet on more than 234 networks across the world!
Is it a must to put on airplane mode while onboard?
Airplane mode is a modern option on many phones that allows you to turn off the cellular antenna and radio transmitter on your device to access onboard services, such as in-flight internet, without leaving your phone vulnerable to interference with other electronic devices.
While it is not strictly required, airplane mode can help prevent disruption during flights, so we recommend that you switch it on when you have to turn on inflight wifi.
Conclusion
Can you use the internet on a plane? It’s a question we bet most of us travelers have asked when planning our next getaway. The answer though is not quite as simple as you might think! Some airlines will provide wifi and others will not.
