A Delta Air Lines flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta was temporarily disrupted after an unauthorized Wi-Fi network appeared onboard, prompting the crew to shut down the aircraft's internet service.
According to a statement released by Delta, none of its systems were hacked, including the in-flight Wi-Fi, and no aircraft operating systems were affected. The airline said that safety of flight was never in question and that no emergency was declared by air traffic control.
The incident occurred when an unauthorized network called "Delta WiFi Fast" appeared on the plane's Wi-Fi system. Cabin crew members turned off the aircraft's Wi-Fi functionality for about 30 minutes while they investigated the issue, but the flight continued on to Atlanta without further incident.
Travel expert Lee Abbamonte, based in California, said that seeing an unauthorized network on a commercial flight is uncommon and that travelers should be cautious when connecting to Wi-Fi thousands of feet in the air. He encouraged passengers to connect only to the Wi-Fi network identified by their airline and suggested that carriers could help by making it clear which network is official.
Delta has confirmed that they are fully investigating the incident, partnering with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to ensure a thorough investigation.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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