No more airplane mode – EU to allow calls on flights

This will mean people can use all their phone’s features mid-flight – enabling calls as well as data-heavy apps that stream music and video.

“There was a concern they could interfere with automatic flight control systems,” he said.

The recommendation has always been that once you are in flight, devices should be in airplane mode.”

There has been a concern in the US that 5G frequencies could interfere with flights, and even potentially lead to erroneous altitude measurements.

“There is much less prospect of interference,” he said, “We have a different set of frequencies for 5G, and there are lower power settings than those that have been allowed in the US.

The regulators will open up that possibility, but there will be steps that will be taken to ensure that whatever they do is safe.”

“We understand that plans to enable 5G onboard flights will operate in the higher frequency bands and therefore won’t interfere with aircraft systems,” he said.