The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Is the age of unplugging on planes over?

By Natalie B. Compton

27 Jan 2023 · 5 min read

Editor's Note

Life in the clouds was one a Wifi-free utopia - yet, as they say, all good things must come to an end. The Washington Post looks at the negative impact of being digitally connected in the skies.

The sky is one of our last sanctuaries from the connected world. When WiFi is available on a flight, it's usually unreliable or expensive, keeping most of us on airplane mode. Flying commercial forms a bubble away from the normal distractions of life, where we can focus uninterrupted on the important things, like watching an entire movie without looking at our phones.

Life in the clouds is a utopia free from email and conference calls, but advancements in technology are conspiring to end this untethered era.

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