Even less than a 150 years ago that would have been impossible. And prior to that communication among normal people could take months.

    • spacelick@lemmynsfw.com
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      16 hours ago

      10 years ago was 2015. In-flight wifi was definitely already a thing. I just pulled this from an old email.

      Enjoy 20 live TV channels and a wide array of on demand TV options as well as other services including WiFi connectivity, messaging, and movies!

      This is from Southwest Airlines from 2014.

    • Natanael@infosec.pub
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      14 hours ago

      Unreliable certainly. For as long as there’s radio coverage there’s a way, but it used to be impractical to give passengers enough bandwidth. 20 years ago you’d have to ask the captain nicely to get a call routed (read: have an emergency)

      If you allow civilian HAM radio, you go back a few more decades (not quite applicable to planes, but definitely applicable to boats). If you allow Morse code you go back yet a little further.