Theres probably a way to deactivate the wireless link. But anyway, the airplace communications are not done at this frequency or for that matter the frequency that cell phones/pagers use. In fact, cell phones/pages will not cause any interference with airplane communications so actually its really pointless in having the airlines turn those devices off. Of course turning the cell phones off will save your battery life and not have it dead when you get off the plane, so maybe they airline is doing you a favor in that respect.