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San Diego Airport's WiFi May Be Slow, But At Least It's Free

June 29, 2009 at 3:27 PM | 0 Comments

Nothing's better than getting some sweet, sweet Airport WiFi tips in our inbox, and thanks to an eagle-eyed (or rather, eagle-laptoped?) reader, we can add San Diego International to our growing list of WiFi-equipped airports.

It doesn't stop at simply providing a signal however, since San Diego goes all the way and gives their travelers Free WiFi in all terminals. This is well and good, but don't expect to download much or visit flash-heavy sites since the connection is rumored to be weak and, depending on how busy the airport is, approaching low dial-up speeds.

Still, any internet is better than no internet and free internet is better than pay internet, so San Diego beats most other airports in our books.

Related Stories:
· San Diego International Airport [Official Site]
· California Travel Guide [Jaunted]

Baltimore Airport Not Hip to Free WiFi

May 5, 2009 at 2:48 PM | 0 Comments

Last week Baltimore celebrated the unveiling of the first TSA checkpoint in the country -- and by celebrated, we assume they mean "did nothing whatsoever to mark the occasion." What they should have done was sprayed it with some ceremonial Purel, since the first cases of swine flu were also officially announced last week, but that might have caused more panic than it was worth.

If you failed to get that first special checkpoint a present -- perhaps, a 3.3-ounce bottle of poison -- you still have time to send it a proper e-card, but you'll have to pony up $7.95 for WiFi access in the terminal. If only the TSA would pony up for that.

So what's your favorite TSA checkpoint? Sarcasm fully installed, tell us what airport has the best or worst wireless access. No one has to know it was you.

Related Stories:
· TSA Announces Successful Implementation Of Federal Passenger Screeners At BWI’s Piers A and B Security Check Points [TSA via the Internet Wayback Machine]
· 6 likely cases of swine flu in Maryland [Baltimore Sun]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]t

WiFi Freedom for All at PHL (But Only On Weekends)

April 29, 2009 at 9:41 AM | 0 Comments

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter decided to switch parties this week. A moderate, idiosyncratic Republican at best, Specter said he'd grown disillusioned from the core of the party and will be moving his desk over to the other side of the aisle -- conveniently, with plenty of time to spare before what would have been a fierce primary challenge for his seat in 2010.

Arlen Specter probably got an even exchange of cheers to jeers from his constituents and fellow representatives this week, but he shouldn't read them till Saturday: That's when Philadelphia Airport offers free WiFi to passengers, every weekend. The good news is, the most toxic responses can be neutralized by his interns, who if they happen to be college students can get free WiFi all week. Connections soared after the airport instituted this plan in early 2008, but they're taking that as a good sign to continue to dangle that freebie at travelers. Monday through Friday, it's Boingo all the way.

Even if you didn't make a major job change this week, we'd love to hear about the airport where you're reading this.

Related Stories:
· U.S. Senator Switches Parties [WSJ]
· 2008: Logging On Is Soaring At Philadelphia International Airport [PHL.org]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

You Really Ought To Give Illinois A Try

April 22, 2009 at 2:01 PM | 0 Comments

Spring is finally coming to the Midwest, and now former governor Rod Blagojevich will get to enjoy the whole thing: A court officially blocked the allegedly bribe-accepting guv from heading to Costa Rica to appear on the NBC reality show "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!"

It's too bad Rod will be too busy preparing for trial to hang out with, and we are not making any of these names up, "American Idol"'s Sanjaya Malakar, Dog the Bounty Hunter and (of course) Heidi and Spencer. But maybe he'd like to take a trip closer to home instead. Local reader Robert tipped us off this week that both Chicago Rockford International Airport and Decatur Airport offer free WiFi in the terminals. To quote Blago, WiFi is "a [censored] valuable thing," but you can give it away -- and we love it when you do.

Going from town to town to get our kids out of the pool hall? Don't forget to write us from the airport.

Related Stories:
· Blagojevich Costa Rica Trip Nixed [TIME]
· Sanjaya Signs On For "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!" [Access Hollywood]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Pirates Kidnap Danish Ship; Kastrup Airport Kidnaps Your Wallet For WiFi Access

April 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM | 0 Comments

The world was glued this week to the MV Maersk Alabama, a container ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia this week. As snipers daringly rescued the captain, the ship remains under scurvy control along with its 5,000 tons of relief aid -- avast!

The ship may fly under the American flag now but it's actually Danish in origin, having been docked in Copenhagen for years. And you know, maybe everyone on board would prefer to hide out for a while up there to throw the pirates off their trail. After all, these sea ninjas are hardly accustomed to long voyages, despite their facility for taking things that isn't theirs.

Soon enough the crew would be waiting at Kastrup International Airport to go home, where they could log in for $10.63 an hour (60 DKK) and send the world's greatest excuse: "Sorry I couldn't make it, I was kidnapped by pirates."

Trying to find something of yours which has been hijacked by pirates? Don't forget on your way out to make them walk the plank to use the airport internet -- and let us know about it!

Related Stories:
· Rescued US Captain Heads Home from Kenya [P via Google]
· Anatomy of a Cruise Ship Attack [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Australia May Love Bloggers But Sydney Airport Does Not

April 10, 2009 at 12:36 PM | 2 Comments

We've already come to praise Tourism Australia's blogger initiative, and Australia's other efforts to get more people visiting Down Under, like low air fares, MySpace pages, Island Reef Jobs, etc.

However, their loyal readers might end up waiting until they get back to hear about the trip. With Sydney Airport's WiFi provided by Telstra at a whopping $14/hour, and competitor Optus at $13.20, that free promotion might not be worth it. It's nice that the airport looked to inspire competition among its ISPs, but that should be driving prices down.

Taking Tourism Australia up on their offer? Let us know how the WiFi beams.

Related Stories:
· Everyone Wants You To Go To Australia But Are You Really Gonna Go? [Jaunted]
· Australia Loves Bloggers, Invites Them Down Under [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Christchurch Airport Does Okay on WiFi, If You Keep It Short

April 6, 2009 at 2:01 PM | 0 Comments

We love getting some good Airport WiFi tips and what better way to let us know of a decently-equipped airport than by someone in the airport using Twitter. That's what @SEKeener did recently. Sean was in Christchurch and Twittered this:

#Christchurch newzealand airport has 15 min free wifi. Overall, Internet access difficult and exp as traveler in NZ. My only neg about NZ.

When we checked the details, the WiFi coverage at Christchurch Airport might be free for fifteen minutes but it's not that easy to find--there are just a couple of relatively small hotspot areas, although the smart thing is they are centered on departure lounges.

So basically Christchurch Airport gets a reasonable thumbs up but WiFi in New Zealand deserves only a thumbs down from Twitterer Sean. Given that this is the land where airplanes have to wait until traffic controllers finish eating, you can't be too surprised that it's a tricky place to log on.

Related Stories:
· Christchurch International Airport [Official Site]
· You Can't Land Now, We're Eating [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel Guide [Jaunted]

Why Doesn't Dallas Love Us?

April 3, 2009 at 3:14 PM | 0 Comments

There is something afoot in Dallas. One would think the home of Web-savvy Southwest would be an Internet-friendly kind of place. Yet we weren't able to pick up a wireless signal there, and we heard an announcement for Internet access... in the pre-security business center, hotel-style.

With the airport's official website somewhat less than useful, we turned to T-Mobile, who confirmed there is--or was--a hot spot at Love Field recently. Maybe our netbook took the day off. Can you solve the mystery of the missing hotspot? We'd "love" to pretend this was all a bad dream.

Want to send out some love or hate for an airport? Let us know.

Related Stories:
· Southwest to Prettify Dallas-Love Field [Jaunted]
· Missed Connections in Dallas: They Don't Call It "Breakup Field" [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Upload Your UFO Sightings at Richmond International Airport

March 31, 2009 at 2:52 PM | 0 Comments

Good news for anyone bent on razzing Flack4RIC on Twitter (uh, us?): Richmond International Airport has free WiFi. All the better to upload your photos of the mysterious, potentially paranormal light shows which even Matt Drudge has taken an interest in.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the bright streaks of light reported around Richmond and Baltimore are probably pieces from a Russian space experiment gone bust. But the National Weather Service has no explanation for the Sunday-night show, which in some areas included a loud booming noise around 9:45PM.

Seen anything creepy on your trip? Tell us about it!

Related Stories:
· Official: Space Junk Likely Caused Unusual Sky [WBAL]
· Hotel Del Coronado Ghost "Speaks" [HC]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Shake It Up in Costa Rica

March 26, 2009 at 11:09 AM | 0 Comments

If you happened to feel a little weak in the knees last week in Costa Rica, it wasn't your imagination: The peninsular nation just survived a 5.9 earthquake, although luckily there were no reported casualties this time (a slightly bigger January quake left 23 dead).

If you're flying into Juan Santamaría International Airport, the country's main airport in the city of San Jose, you can get online but be prepared for a little shakeup: You can't pay for service online with a credit card; instead, you need to buy a prepaid card to get ourself online. Ask for a tarjeta inalámbrica.

Got an airport WiFi tip for us? We'd love it.

Related Stories:
· Earthquake shakes Costa Rica; no major damage [AP via Google]
· Tourism Board Travel: Costa Rica [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

There's Something About Finland

March 25, 2009 at 10:56 AM | 1 Comment

The last time we were in Helsinki, we honestly believed it was enchanted. Stumbling off a flight from New York, we entered a well-scrubbed terminal with bright yellow trays at a clean cafe and cheery flight attendants zipping from one end of the terminal to another on scooters.

Had we tried to boot up while we were savoring our coffee and plotting to become Finnair frequent flyers, we would have found another delight: As of November 2008, wireless Internet is free in the terminals at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport thanks to Finava, the national civil aviation administration. Now your fingers can fly with as little resistance as you do!

Had a fantastic experience in an airport recently? Tell us about it.

Related Stories:
· Free WiFi at the airport in Helsinki - Finally [Life2Go.net]
· Live Your Prisonbreak Fantasy in Finland [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

What's A Little Bandwidth Among Neighbors?

March 24, 2009 at 11:32 AM | 0 Comments

Welcome, friends! South Africa recently announced it would be relaxing its immigration policies to allow political refugees from Zimbabwe to live and work legally in the country. Despite the ascension of Morgan Tsvangirai to the country's highest office, food shortages are running as rampant as inflation on the legal currency and cholera is rearing its ugly head -- with no evidence that the situation will change any time soon.

Should these Zimbabweans choose to come by plane to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, they'll be getting a better deal on their Internet access than native South Africans, but only just: 50 minutes is 50 rand ($4.77) in the domestic terminal through Mweb but the same amount gets you 60 minutes in the international terminal on the airport's network. And in these troubled times, every cent counts.

Let us know you're safely plugging in all over the world -- send us your Airport WiFi stories.

Related Stories:
· SAfrica to ease immigration rules for Zimbabweans [International Herald Tribune]
· The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg: Opulence in a High-Security Prison [HC]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]