Industry has yet to impose new regulations

Although the explosives-laden packages that recently ended up on several commercial aircraft were intercepted without detonation, the events could push regulators to reconsider efforts to equip airplanes with Wi-Fi connectivity. Inspectors discovered cellphones connected to the detonation circuits, raising suspicion that terrorists may have intended to destroy the aircraft by calling the phone during a flight.

In most situations, travelers cannot connect to a cell tower unless the airplane is below cruising altitude directly after takeoff or while descending for landing. In-flight Wi-Fi systems could provide a new way to communicate with onboard devices, however, as the Internet connection is maintained via satellite broadband.

Roland Alford, managing director of explosives consultancy firm Alford Technologies, expects the recent events to push the UK government and US Department of Homeland Security to review the guidelines regarding in-flight communication. Airlines that provide in-flight Wi-Fi are effectively giving a bomber "lots of options for contacting a device on an aircraft," Alford told NewScientist in an interview. Terrorists could potentially use the technology to remotely contact a device, or, in a suicide bombing, communicate with a device that has been placed in the cargo hold.

"There are many ways of coordinating an attack without using a mobile phone," counters OnAir representative Aurélie Branchereau-Giles. OnAir currently collaborates with companies such as AirBus to equip aircraft with Wi-Fi and cellphone systems. The company believes such technology "does not constitute any additional security threat."

The DHS has yet to disclose any discussions regarding potential regulations for in-flight Wi-Fi.

By Electronista Staff