Everybody gets cute with their WiFi name at some point. We’ve all seen the Overlook Hotels, and Porn Machines, and the Facebook Privacy Invaders. But there are places where you should not do this. Like, say, a flight during the holiday weekend, or a name like ‘Galaxy Note 7’.
In case you missed all the jokes about great balls of fire, the Galaxy Note 7 is a smartphone that was recalled this year by its manufacturer, Samsung, for its tendency to catch on fire and explode. Among other things, the FAA banned the Note 7 from being on an airplane. And as some joker learned the hard way, airlines take the threat of explosions very seriously.
Open my laptop on the plane and notice a Galaxy Note 7 wifi hotspot https://t.co/y1csn9gOsZ pic.twitter.com/9Z5IJULuPs
— Lucas Wojciechowski (@lucaswoj) December 20, 2016
About an hour into the flight there's an announcement "If anyone has a Galaxy Note 7, please press your call button"
— Lucas Wojciechowski (@lucaswoj) December 20, 2016
Apparently the plane is going to have to get diverted & searched if nobody fesses up soon 😬
— Lucas Wojciechowski (@lucaswoj) December 20, 2016
And it caused some problems on the ground, as well:
"The plane was mid-flight when an attendant noticed a wifi hotspot. A Galaxy Note 7 Wifi hotspot." Everyone else makes a horrified face.
— Serenity Caldwell (@settern) December 20, 2016
In short x2: Don't bring a Note 7 on a plane or you will piss everyone off. And don't rename your SSID unless you want to chat with the TSA.
— Serenity Caldwell (@settern) December 20, 2016
While it appears this was just some prankster who didn’t realize what he was stepping in, it is worth noting that your phone can change the name of your WiFi hotspot without bothering to clear it with you, depending on your permissions and the hotspot you use. So if you’ve got one, take a moment and check its name to ensure that you won’t be the one getting your plane diverted on Christmas.
Especially as it’s probably legal to give you a light beating at the gate for that one.
(via The Verge)