Android phones, apps and tablets

dont know if this is the right place for such a question but here we go. if i got a phone that was wifi enabled, downloaded skype/messenger or similar and went abroad, could i switch my phone to offline or flight mode and use skype/messenger in a wifi hotspot? noone in stores seems to want to give me an answer on this. im working abroad a lot at the mo and this summer and thought it may be a good way to keep in touch without rinsing my monies. has anyone done this?

any help would be appreciated.

I think you can turn the mobile antennae off and keep the wifi one on. I would expect that plane mode will switch all antennae off except perhaps GPS (since it's passive). I'm sure someone who actually owns an android device can pipe up and confirm.