How to Survive a Flight With Only Your Cell Phone
If you have a long flight scheduled, you shouldn’t worry about bringing your phone, computer and separate reading material. The more you bring, the more you have to keep up with; and sometimes, you want to keep it simple – especially when traveling.
The good news is that a cell phone can pack all your entertainment into one device and minimize the amount of stuff you haul on the plane. The problem with a cell phone, though, is that you must keep the device in airplane mode for the duration of the flight. And with your phone in airplane mode, you might be unable to stream or access certain online sites. But even without access to the internet, there are ways to make good use of your wireless device.
1. Keep a fully-charged phone.
Make sure your cell phone is fully charged if you have an upcoming flight. This might seem like a no-brainer, but as you’re packing and running around on the day of your trip, you might forget to plug your cell phone into a charger. And even if you leave the house with a fully charged battery, playing games or surfing the internet while waiting in the airport could drain your battery and leave you without enough power to survive the flight.
Use your power sparingly and carry a charger in your carry-on bag so you can juice up in between flights.
- 2. Download music and movies to your device.
Many airplanes allow passengers to access Wi-Fi onboard, and some cell phones allow a Wi-Fi connection while in airplane mode. Yet, the cost of Wi-Fi onboard a plane might be more than you’re willing to pay. If you’re not connected, however, you won’t be able to stream music or movies.
To keep yourself occupied on a long flight, download music to your device before flying. If you own movies, you can also download these to your device, providing you have enough memory.
This is also a good time to install an E-reader on your phone, if you haven’t already. This way, you can read magazines or books while in the air. Since music, movies and books can eat at your memory, consider deleting these after completing your trip to free up space.
3. Download plenty of games.
Even if you’re not a big gamer, downloading games to your smartphone before boarding the plane is an excellent way to keep you and your children entertained. Head over to your phone’s app store and check out the selection of games.
Keep in mind that accessing some games may require an internet connection. Search specifically for games you can play offline, which don’t require a connection. Load up on enough fun games to keep yourself occupied and entertained for the duration of the flight.
4. Bring noise canceling headphones.
If you’re in the market for noise canceling headphones, this is also an excellent time to purchase a pair. You can use regular earphones while on an airplane, but between the airplane’s loud engine, crying babies and talkative passengers, it might be difficult to hear your music or a movie. Even if you’re able to hear, surrounding noise can significantly disrupt your entertainment experience. Noise canceling headphones fit snugly around both ears, and depending on the brand, some headphones block up to 95 percent of sound.
There’s a lot to do when preparing for a flight. Along with packing your clothes and getting your documents in order, don’t forget to gather your entertainment. Between music, movies, books and games, there are plenty of ways to avoid boredom in the air – and all within the palm of your hand.