Mystery Wi-Fi network aboard flight raises 'unusual' alarm about travelers' information

Delta confirmed that none of its systems were hacked, including the in-flight Wi-Fi, and that no aircraft operating systems were affected, Delta said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"We are fully investigating to gather a complete set of facts, which will take time. We will partner with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to ensure the incident is thoroughly investigated," the airline said. 

"We thank our crew for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding."

As the situation unfolded, cabin crew members turned off the aircraft's Wi-Fi functionality for about 30 minutes, according to Delta.

No emergency was declared by air traffic control. The flight continued on to Atlanta.

California-based travel expert Lee Abbamonte told Fox News Digital that seeing an unauthorized network on a commercial flight is uncommon, and that travelers should pay close attention to which network they select.

"I think that the unauthorized network appearing on a commercial flight is pretty unusual," Abbamonte said. "I'm hoping this is not a sign of things to come."

Abbamonte said that when passengers are on a flight, it's easy to get confused about networks.

"I think the passengers are vulnerable on an airplane because they're a captive audience," he said.

He encouraged travelers to connect only to the Wi-Fi network identified by their airline. He also said carriers could help by making the correct network name clear to passengers.

He also said he believed that Delta's decision to temporarily disable its Wi-Fi was an appropriate response while the crew dealt with the situation.

Despite the incident, Abbamonte said he would still feel comfortable connecting to Wi-Fi while flying.

"I would just double-check to make sure you're on the right network," he said.