Flight Anxiety Knowledge Base

Noises The Crew

Why does the plane keep 'dinging'?

Short answer: It is the crew's secure internal telephone system.

Pilots and flight attendants use chimes to communicate without using the loud public address system. One ding usually means a passenger pressed a call button or a flight attendant needs a coffee refill. Two dings mean we just passed 10,000 feet, which tells the crew it is safe to stand up or prepare the cabin for landing. It is a completely routine part of every flight.