What’s in a network name?
A flight to London from Los Angeles International Airport was grounded Sunday night due to a Wi-Fi network name that referenced a terrorist group.
The Wi-Fi network was, with spelling errors: “Al-Quida Free Terror Nettwork,” KABC reports. A passenger reported seeing the Internet hotspot to a flight attendant.
American Airlines Flight 136 was grounded for several hours before returning to the gate. Police boarded the plane and no terrorist threat was found. The flight was rescheduled for Monday.
Wi-Fi networks can be broadcasted from a cell phone, laptop computer or tablet. Users sometimes add jokes or puns when naming their network, which other people will see when scanning for a connection.
Gavin Stern is a national digital producer for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on twitter at @GavinStern or email him at firstname.lastname@example.org