Our Last Wifi-Less Refuge is Gone
Subpar airplane Wi-Fi was a gift, in a way.
Once an anomaly, in-flight Wi-Fi is now a staple aboard airlines. United Airlines is leading the charge, with Starlink satellite technology expected to outfit nearly 1,000 planes by year's end. Competitors Delta, JetBlue, and Alaska are also partnering with Starlink or Amazon Leo to deliver high-speed internet. This advancement offers connectivity nearly identical to ground-level internet, an upgrade from the problematic Wi-Fi previously available on flights.
While on an earlier 10-hour journey, I observed a colleague preparing a presentation, listening to Spotify, and engaging in an online flirtation. This newfound connectivity, however, blurs the line between the sky and the ground. Air travel is no longer a sanctuary from the world below; it's now a "living room in the sky," where passengers juggle in-flight entertainment, work, and social media.
While some welcome this change, it also strips away the unique opportunity for a tech detox. The slower internet of yesteryear allowed passengers to disengage from the digital world, providing a rare respite from email, social media, and news. With faster connections, the potential for a disconnecting flight seems to be fading. While flying remains an opportunity to disconnect, the rise in connectivity may shift expectations.
The article highlights instances of people using the flight time to reflect, focus on their ambitions, or even engage in deep conversations with fellow passengers—experiences that could be lost in our increasingly connected world.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
