Southwest Airlines WiFi shortsighted?

Seven years ago, a bunch of bad guys commandeered two jets and flew them over the Big Apple into the Twin Towers. Since that day, we consumers have been subject to a whole new level of inconvenient but necessary restrictions at U.S. airports to prevent another tragedy like 9-11.

But for all of that, the faltering American airlines are now in hot pursuit of a wireless Internet connection for passengers to access in-flight for up to $12.95 per flight. According to an article by Sholnn Freeman in today’s WashingtonPost.com, this WiFi system will allow passengers to browse the Web and send e-mail and instant messages through their smartphones, PDAs and laptops. Cell phone calls are still banned.

As a Web-savvy journalist whose professional life revolves around an Internet connection, I’m all for this new feature for convenience’s sake. But as an American who saw the horror of 9-11 and submitted himself to the new security measures, it seems pretty absurd.

Although the article does not mention how or if these connections will be monitored by authorities, I have to wonder if the industry just sold my personal security out for the price of a CD to pad its bottom line, which is rapidly rising because of fuel costs. What happened to catching bad guys and keeping them from planning another attack?

Southwest, the story says, is working with Row 44 of Westlake Village, Calif., to use satellites for broadband service. The airline has not announced a date on when the service would start.