What Happens If Someone Calls When Your Phone Is On Airplane Mode?

Most of us are familiar with the announcement flight attendants make before takeoff off asking us to stow our carry-on items and place our electronic devices in airplane mode. If you're a frequent flyer, you probably do this automatically without waiting for anyone to remind you. You know, once it's switched on, airplane mode turns off your phone's cellular signal, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections. Although you can turn your phone's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections back on to use in-flight Wi-Fi while in airplane mode, your cellular service will remain disabled, leaving you unable to make or receive phone calls. 

These days, many of us use airplane mode even when we're not on a flight. If your phone's battery is running low, you want to save data, or you just want to disconnect for a while, airplane mode is an easy way to do all of that without turning your phone off. While we have many uses for airplane mode today, the feature was originally introduced to comply with Federal Aviation Administration and international aviation regulations requiring passengers to disable wireless signals during flights to prevent potential interference with aircraft systems. When your phone is in airplane mode, it's cut off from the network, so incoming calls won't get through — at least, not via your phone's regular cellular connection. In most cases, your phone won't ring at all or show any sign that someone tried to reach you.

Once you place your phone in airplane mode, all wireless communication is disabled (including cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth), disconnecting your device from the mobile network and making it unreachable for standard voice calls. However, airplane mode doesn't turn off location on most phones, but it will limit its functionality. When you receive an incoming call while your phone is in airplane mode, the call will typically be directed to voicemail, and your phone won't ring or display any notification letting you know you've missed a call, at least not until you've turned airplane mode off and reconnected to your cellular network. In some cases, the caller may hear a message indicating that your phone is unavailable or turned off. Exactly what happens can vary depending on your wireless provider. 

Keep in mind that you can manually enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when your phone is in airplane mode. If you do this, and the Wi-Fil calling feature on your phone is turned on, you'll still be able to receive calls, even when airplane mode is activated. You can make Wi-Fi calls on iPhone and Android as long as your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network and your carrier supports the feature. Still, just because it's possible doesn't mean it'll work in practice. That's because many airlines, like Delta and American, block video or voice calls during flights. Even if an airline allows phone calls, the in-flight Wi-Fi might be too slow or unstable for them to connect. Therefore, in most cases, anyone calling you when your phone is in airplane mode won't get through.