Flights are filled with a lot of familiar sounds, from the pleasant, sleep-inducing hum of the plane’s engines to the occasional, and not-so-soothing, crying baby. Then there’s that unmistakable single ding! that signals a passenger has summoned a flight attendant, or that it’s time to fasten those seatbelts and stop rummaging around in the overhead bins.
But listen closely and you’ll probably notice some other mid-air tones sounding sporadically during your trip. Those chimes aren’t just a bunch of random noise—they’re packed with information and serve as important cues that help the plane’s crew keep everything on the flight running smoothly.
What exactly do all the different dings mean? We spoke with former commercial pilot Daniel Bubb to decode them so you’ll be in the know on your next flight. Keep reading to find out the real meaning of single, double, even triple chimes.
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Why do pilots communicate with chimes on board?
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“Pilots use chimes because they are an efficient, easy way to communicate with cabin crew members,” says Bubb, who served as a first officer at Air Vegas Airlines. “Flight attendants also use the chime, usually a single.”
For the most part, these chimes are standardized, and you’ll hear them on all commercial flights, though some airlines might slightly modify the sound of their dings.
What does a double chime on an airplane mean?
A double chime is perhaps the most important in-flight sound, signaling the aircraft has passed through 10,000 feet of altitude—either climbing or descending. At that point during a climb, “flight attendants can get up—unless there is sufficient turbulence to the point where the pilot has requested that they remain seated for their safety—and passengers can safely use their electronic devices,” Bubb explains.
On descent, the same double ding indicates the plane has dropped below 10,000 feet, and pilots must be 100% focused on flight duties and maintaining a sterile cockpit before landing.
What exactly is a “sterile” cockpit and why is it important?
In aviation, a sterile cockpit is a critical safety protocol all commercial pilots meticulously follow. “A sterile cockpit means that pilots must only perform their duties specific to that phase of flight until they reach an altitude of 10,000 feet, without doing or discussing anything else that could distract them,” Bubb says. This is a time that should be totally devoid of any chatting or nonessential activities. “It is what we call a ‘critical phase of flight’ because there is so much happening that it requires both pilots’ full attention.”
Is the double chime ever anything to worry about?
There’s absolutely no need to panic during a double chime. In fact, once passengers understand what the tones mean, Bubb says they can be quite reassuring. “The chimes actually put passengers at ease, especially those who frequently fly, because the chimes are so familiar,” he says.
What do other types of chimes mean?
Chimes are used to communicate information, from routine to urgent, and each chime has a distinct meaning. Here are the other chimes you may hear the next time you’re flying:
Single chime
Single chimes are most often heard when the seatbelt sign turns on or off, or when a passenger calls for a flight attendant. They could also be used for other behind-the-scenes communication. “The single chime is [also] used by flight attendants to talk to each other over the phone without using the public address microphone,” which could disrupt passengers, Bubb explains.
Occasionally, one ding may be paired with an announcement. For instance, Bubb recalls a recent flight he was on during which a passenger experienced a medical episode: “The flight attendants used the chime and public address microphone to ask if there were any doctors onboard.”
Triple chime
A three-ding sound is reserved for only the most serious situations, something most people flying will hopefully never experience. “Three chimes means there is an emergency situation where the aircraft is about to encounter severe turbulence or needs to divert to another airport,” Bubb says of the rare occurrence. “In my flying career, fortunately, I’ve never had to use the three chimes despite encountering moderate to severe turbulence.”
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Source:
- Dan Bubb, PhD, former first officer at Air Vegas Airlines, associate professor at the University of Nevada and author of Landing in Las Vegas: Commercial Aviation and the Making of a Tourist City; email interview, August 2025
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