By Fr Chinaka Justin Mbaeri
As someone who often travels by air, I’ve noticed the difference in how airlines handle phone use in Nigeria compared to many other parts of the world.
On domestic flights in Nigeria, the instruction is often rigid: switch it off completely, with no mention of flight mode. I painfully adhere to this rule, all the while wondering why ours is different from other countries.
Yet, Nigerian law itself (NCAA regulations) actually allows either turning off the phone or using aeroplane mode during flights.
According to my research, the reason airlines originally insisted on full power-off goes back decades. Aircraft electronics at the time were more sensitive and not as well shielded, so even small device signals could, in theory, affect navigation or communication.
Phones without flight mode would keep searching for a network, sending bursts of signals that could disrupt cockpit headsets. Since the crew had no way to confirm if a “silent” phone was really silent, the safest bet was to have it fully off.
However, today, the story is different. Modern planes have far better shielding, phones now have reliable aeroplane mode that cuts off the cellular radio, and passengers want to use devices offline.
Many flights even offer Wi-Fi that works while in flight mode. From my experiences outside Nigeria (both on domestic and international flights), I’ve greatly benefited from this. That’s why, in all the countries I’ve flown to, airlines simply say, “Aeroplane mode, please,” and it works fine.
The hostess doesn’t need to police passengers to check if their device is truly on aeroplane mode or off, as is rigidly done in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Ibom Air: Public Outcry Over Selective Enforcement of Aviation Laws
Reflecting on the recent Ibom Air case, even if Ms Comfort Emmanson had stubbornly insisted on putting her phone in aeroplane mode and refusing to turn it off and had later been charged for it after the flight, the law would have been on her side.
This is because, according to Nigerian law (NCAA regulations), either turning the phone off or using aeroplane mode is allowed during flights. But her violent behaviour shifted the entire focus away from the policy itself. This shows that violence can never be a good way to win a case.
In the places I’ve flown to, both domestically and internationally, I’ve never been told that the only option was to power off my phone completely. The instruction has always been either to turn it off or to put it in flight mode; the choice is yours.
Nigeria’s own policy feels unnecessarily stiff, as I’ve experienced a couple of times during domestic flights. Anyway, if they insist you turn off your phone, please do so.
Nonetheless, it might be time for our airlines to match global practices—prioritising safety while applying it with balance. A phone in proper flight mode is as safe as one that’s switched off, and passengers can comply without feeling like they’re in a needless tug of war.
Sometimes, it’s not just about the rules; it’s about how we apply them, and this applies to the management of Ibom Air and all other Nigerian airlines.
Fr Chinaka Justin Mbaeri is a Roman Catholic Priest and writer who lives in São Paulo, Brazil
