'I'm an aviation expert - reason you must put your phone on airplane mode when flying'

Staying connected while at high speeds over oceans and vast landscapes is possible with onboard WiFi, but using your phone to stay connected could pose some serious risks. Although many may be tempted to leave their phones as is when flying rather than making the important switch, vice president for flight operations at Icelandair, Gudmunder Tomas Sigurdsson, warns of its importance.

Despite most offering WiFi purchasing options onboard, passengers are always told they must use airplane mode upon takeoff and without doing so, it could lead to some major risks. Speaking to , Sigurdsson explained that any personal electronic devices such as which use cellular service are known to interfere with an aircraft's navigation and communication systems. He added that without making the vital switch over, it could "potentially lead to missing critical information like traffic alerts, runway assignments, or changes to the route".

Bobby Dutton, a commercial flight and pilot instructor who also runs the website, Think Like a Pilot, reiterated these warnings.

He added: "Any misunderstanding of these transmissions could lead to dangerous situations very quickly."

Many may argue that aircrafts today are well equipped with the ability to reduce interference risk but Sigurdsson further warned a flight risk may still happen.

This risk is more evident "during critical phases of flights such as takeoff and landing.

"Aviation safety is based on layers of protection, and restricting cellular signals in flight is one of them.

"A single phone may not cause a major issue but multiple active devices transmitting signals inside the cabin" could cause havoc.

Minimising distraction during take off and landing was another reason why all aircrafts urge passengers to switch to airplane mode, according to Sigurdsson.

He explained: "The crew needs passengers' full attention and using personal devices can delay responses in case of an emergency."

One such time when a passenger's full attention is strongly required is during pre-flight safety instructions with cellular service prohibition is needed so all are aware of emergency procedures.

When you put your phone in airplane mode, it disables the wireless communication which includes WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular service.

Airplane mode on your mobile will mean that you won't be able to receive or make calls, use data-dependent apps or send text messages.

However certain apps will still work in airplane mode including listening to music, watching a video or playing games.