An airline pilot has issued a stern warning to passengers about the potential dangers of using mobile phones during flights.

The pilot, known as @perchpoint on social media, implored travellers to heed instructions to activate ‘Airplane Mode’ on their devices.

In a video posted on TikTok earlier this month, @perhpoint clarified that the phone function is “not a conspiracy”, but there’s a crucial reason why all phones need to be in this mode during flights.

He reassured that forgetting to switch on Airplane mode isn’t catastrophic, but it is vital for ensuring the plane operates correctly, reports Manchester Evening News.

He stated: “It’s not the end of the world, no, the plane won’t fall out of the sky, and it won’t even mess with the systems on board. However, it does have the potential to mess with the headsets.”

The pilot further explained that if several people neglect to activate Airplane mode, or they refuse to do so, and phones try to connect to a radio tower or receive an incoming call, it emits radio waves that disrupt the connection with the plane’s headsets.

He warned that these radio waves could potentially interfere with the pilots’ communication systems.

The pilot recounted the incident, saying: “Last night in San Francisco, we had pushed off the gate, we were talking to the rampers, we disconnected from the tug, we started the engines. And then once we got the plane turned around, we started heading towards the taxiways, we called off ground to get our clearance to which direction we had to go.”

He added the disturbance they experienced during communications: “And as soon as we started getting directions, there’s like this really annoying buzz going through the headsets, and it kind of sounds like there’s a mosquito in my ear.

“I get that it’s not the end of the world, but it’s pretty annoying when you’re trying to copy down instructions, and it sounds like there’s a wasp or something flying around.”

He concluded with a word of advice: “So if you’re ever curious why you’ve gotta put on Airplane mode, that’s why.”

Additionally, research by Allianz Travel Insurance found that in 2017, out of more than 1,500 Americans surveyed, 40 percent don’t always comply with the airplane mode regulation, while almost 14 per cent admitted to sneaking texts or calls during flights.

Despite lack of evidence linking phones to aircraft accidents and thorough studies on their effects, pilots anecdotally have reported hearing interference on headsets.