SQ flight mode no longer required for devices while in flight?

[RooFlyer]

On yesterday‘s SQ flight from Singapore to Melbourne there was an announcement early on that flight mode needed to be deployed during takeoff and landing. I didn’t pay much attention to that but at the end of the flight there was another announcement that flight mode now needed to be turned on.

An FA was giving her farewell to me so I asked her. Is it true that you can take off flight mode during flight? She says yes you can use Wi-Fi during flight. I pointed out showing the phone that that wasn’t the same thing. And I asked her can I take off flight mode during the flight and the answer was yes. She said almost exactly that while low-cost carriers have small planes, this is a large plane and so any phone transmission wouldn’t matter.

Is this new? There is no doubt that she meant that you can take your phone off flight mode during the level part of the flight. @Cruiser Elite ?

 

[lovestotravel]

SQ allowed this awhile back from memory, as your phone can now roam and send/receive SMS while in flight, so flight mode needs to be off for that.

This is what I found with a 2 second Google search

https://www.optus.com.au/connected/news/optus-in-flight-roaming-from-5-dollars-per-day

(I thought calls were blocked from memory on SQ)

 

[SYD]

SQ allowed this awhile back from memory, as your phone can now roam and send/receive SMS while in flight, so flight mode needs to be off for that.

This is what I found with a 2 second Google search

https://www.optus.com.au/connected/news/optus-in-flight-roaming-from-5-dollars-per-day

(I thought calls were blocked from memory on SQ)

QR has it in some aircraft (and heaps of other airlines) but Flightmode is usually required for takeoff and landing.

 

[lovestotravel]

Where Can You Use AeroMobile's Network? | Our Partner Airlines

AeroMobile’s inflight network is currently available on major airlines including; Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.

www.aeromobile.net

 

[Cruiser Elite]

AFAICR it’s been that way for yonks - I have never turned phone to flight mode- are you supposed to?

I have been sending / receiving sms during flt for gods know how long - I send msg to Crew Members during flight via AirDrop - dunno

 

[oz_mark]

Been like that for a while, as far as I know. And the roaming works well, maybe not earth shattering speeds, but workable..

 

[DC3]

 

[clifford]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[RooFlyer]

This is what I found with a 2 second Google search

https://www.optus.com.au/connected/news/optus-in-flight-roaming-from-5-dollars-per-day

Interesting, but I wasn't looking on Google (for any length of time), nor using Optus (I'm with Telstra). Merely recounting what I heard/noticed on SQ for the first time.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I didn't. I used the free wi-fi, so didn't need to pay the extra.