• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » TSA » Should the TSA Ban Wi-Fi and Cell Phones Onboard Airplanes?
TSA

Should the TSA Ban Wi-Fi and Cell Phones Onboard Airplanes?

Matthew Klint Posted onNovember 9, 2010 5 Comments

Obviously, my answer is NO. But it’s not like the TSA takes my opinions to heart…

Here’s the latest buzz: mobile phones and Wi-Fi may be used to blow up an airplane, so the TSA is considering banning them.

It was revealed on 29 October that parcels containing a powdered explosive packed in laser printer cartridges had travelled undetected on aircraft to the UK and to Dubai in the UAE. A cellphone connected to a detonation circuit could have allowed a terrorist to trigger an explosion by calling or texting the phone.

We know that the TSA is a reactionary agency and we must concede that a cell phone, in the context described above, does pose some threat to passenger safety. We must also concede that wireless internet technology may make the detonation of an explosive device onboard an aircraft easier.

That leads me to the glum conclusion that despite the tremendous investment airlines have made in inflight internet, the TSA will ban wireless communications onboard aircraft, perhaps as soon as by the end of the year.

The sad thing is that there remain countless ways of coordinating an attack without using a mobile phone. Banning mobile phones and Wi-Fi will prevent one mode of potential attack, yet hardly foreclose the ability of a critical thinker to find another way to bring a plane down.

Once again, we’re faced with a cost-benefit analysis that pits safety against freedom and in this case, economics. A balancing test is appropriate, but banning mobile phones is out of the question and even with a ban against in-flight cell phone usage, as we are all aware, you can still occasionally pick up a cell phone signal if you are traveling low enough. Mission accomplished. 

I sure hope I’m wrong, but who’s going to argue that news of such a ban would be a surprise? With economics at stake this time (rather than just civil liberties), maybe this proposal won’t get past the drawing board. But I doubt it…

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Best. Redeye. Ever. (in United Economy!)
Next Article 1,000 United Miles for Mobile Check-In

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • TSA Loaded Gun First Class

    TSA Races To Pull United Airlines First Class Passenger Off Plane After Belatedly Realizing They Let Him Through Security Checkpoint With A Loaded Gun

    May 16, 2025
  • 106-Year-Old TSA

    106-Year-Old Has A Bone To Pick With The TSA

    April 7, 2025
  • Abolish TSA

    Abolish TSA? Privatize Airport Security? How About We Start With Eliminating Liquid Ban…

    March 28, 2025

5 Comments

  1. Nick Reply
    November 9, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    I’m of two minds. No, the TSA should not ban these, as they both have very legitimate uses. However, I would support a ban on cellphones as passengers are a captive audience and can’t just get up to get away from someone being obnoxious on their cellphone, and a flat out ban on use in the plane makes enforcement easier, as I have seen many people defy flight attendants instructions in regards to their devices.

  2. Tim Reply
    November 9, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    Maybe I’m missing something here but wouldn’t the threat be from phones attached to explosives in the cargo area? I’m not sure how having a phone on your person is a threat. If they ban carrying the phone on the plane, the phone would have to be checked in baggage and doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose? And say phones are banned, would you then be forced to check your phone in luggage? I almost never check bags so now just to bring my phone with me on travel I’ll be required to check a bag or not travel with my phone at all? I just don’t see how this is going to fly.

  3. MHA Reply
    November 9, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    Banning inflight Internet access would raise security theatre to the level of actually interfering with airlines making money, and that’s just not going to happen. Further, there’s no way the TSA could forbid passengers from carrying their cell phones on board. Tell us to turn them off? Sure. But tell us we can’t carry them? Considering how often luggage snafus occur, and how reliant business travelers are on their phones, it’s just not an option.

  4. AS Reply
    November 9, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    Air security would be much higher if neither human beings nor cargo could travel by plane, since both are risks to aviation security. While it would be absurd to ban either, many people would not be surprised if the TSA came out with such a policy. It’s unfortunate but the TSA has become such a joke that you can’t rule anything out for them.

  5. Jacques “Jacques” Liverot Reply
    September 22, 2021 at 3:51 pm

    Looks like you were wrong

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for June

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Capital One Lounge JFK
    Capital One Opens New Flagship Lounge At JFK Terminal 4 June 19, 2025
  • United PlusPoints Uses
    United Airlines Expands Redemption Options For PlusPoints (Full List) June 19, 2025
  • a sign in an airport
    American Airlines Suspends Doha Flights, United Airlines Suspends Dubai Amid Regional Conflict June 19, 2025
  • Cathay Pacific The Pier Business Class Lounge Review
    Review: Cathay Pacific The Pier Business Class Lounge (HKG) June 19, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Qatar Airways Economy Class Breakfast
    Economy Class Breakfast On Qatar Airways June 7, 2025
  • Favorite Airline Commercials
    My 10 Favorite Airline Commercials June 15, 2025
  • Qantas Lounge Review Hong Kong
    Review: Qantas Lounge Hong Kong (HKG) June 14, 2025
  • Israel Flight Cancellations
    Major Carriers Extend Flight Cancellations To Israel: Here’s The List June 6, 2025

Archives

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« May    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.