I would be grateful if people could please keep the discussion to a level at which it does not provide unwarranted information to possible aspiring terrorists. You may consider this unnecessarily paranoid - but a little bit of caution never cost anything.

flightleader: Some time ago Airbus, Qantas and the Australian ATC services held trials using the ATC datalink system to bring an A330 all the way down from cruise altitude to a safe (auto-)landing without any pilot input whatsoever. As far as I know the system is fitted to aircraft in service with many different airlines today. Despite it's obvious advantages the only problem is making the FD crew accept being left out of the loop.

The way to the future. ;)