Texas - Why no free wi fi at DFW?

As AA is the predominant carrier at DFW, I'll ask my question here.

Why is there no free wifi in the DFW airport? On my last trip that had me connecting in DFW, the other airports I passed through have it-MCI and ABQ, both much smaller and less busier than DFW. Many smaller airport have wifi, but not DFW.

Has AA prevented them from installing it? It's very irritating not to be able to go online at DFW to check on your flight status on AA when there is a weather incident like last week that causes cancellations and rebooking onto other flights. I had to call my office and have someone look it up for me to find out what was going on.

They have free internet kiosks, but you need to supply your own ethernet cable. I have no idea why it isn't free, but honestly I think internet access should be seen as a basic commodity like electricity and provided freely. But that will never happen because there is $ to be made...:td::(

I'd say this question probably belongs here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz-176/) or here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south-454/). Not really AA related, since AA don't own or operate DFW airport.

I have no idea why it isn't free, but honestly I think internet access should be seen as a basic commodity like electricity and provided freely. But that will never happen because there is $ to be made...:td::(

Since when is electricity free?!?:rolleyes:

If you want to use the internet, you should pay a reasonable fee to the service provider! I don't use the internet at the airport and I don't want to pay for your usage.

As AA is the predominant carrier at DFW, I'll ask my question here.

Why is there no free wifi in the DFW airport? On my last trip that had me connecting in DFW, the other airports I passed through have it-MCI and ABQ, both much smaller and less busier than DFW. Many smaller airport have wifi, but not DFW.

As a generalization, most large connecting hubs (ORD, DFW, DTW, MSP) do not have free Wifi. It's not uncommon for smaller airports with less connecting traffic (SEA, BOS, ABQ, MCI, TUS) to have free WiFi. (DEN, a smaller connecting hub, does have free wifi as well.) I don't like it, but that's the way it is.

Has AA prevented them from installing it?

I doubt it. I suspect it has more to do with passengers not choosing a connecting hub based on the availability of free Wifi, so there's little economic incentive for the airport to take on the expense of doing so.

It's very irritating not to be able to go online at DFW to check on your flight status on AA when there is a weather incident like last week that causes cancellations and rebooking onto other flights. I had to call my office and have someone look it up for me to find out what was going on.

If you sit near an Admiral's Club, you can leech off of their wifi connection which allows free access to aa.com.

Since when is electricity free?!?:rolleyes:

You've paid for electricity at an airport? How about the water fountains and heat & A/C :confused::eek::p

Why is there no free wifi in the DFW airport? On my last trip that had me connecting in DFW, the other airports I passed through have it-MCI and ABQ, both much smaller and less busier than DFW. Many smaller airport have wifi, but not DFW.


It has more to do with marketing and competition between airports for passengers. OMA added free wifi because MCI had it so they could better compete for passenger who live between the two airport since it is mostly O&D traffic. Where as DFW or any other major hub has enough local and connecting passengers so they don't have to provide the same services to get people to fly there.

I'd say this question probably belongs here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz-176/) or here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south-454/). Not really AA related, since AA don't own or operate DFW airport. Logic for where to post is generally guided by the forum descriptions. As Microwave has pointed out this is not an airline specific topic.
Please feel free to follow the topic if interested here in its new home at the South Forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south-454/)

~moderator

As AA is the predominant carrier at DFW, I'll ask my question here.

Why is there no free wifi in the DFW airport? On my last trip that had me connecting in DFW, the other airports I passed through have it-MCI and ABQ, both much smaller and less busier than DFW. Many smaller airport have wifi, but not DFW.

Has AA prevented them from installing it? It's very irritating not to be able to go online at DFW to check on your flight status on AA when there is a weather incident like last week that causes cancellations and rebooking onto other flights. I had to call my office and have someone look it up for me to find out what was going on. Probably along the lines why 3* hotels have free wifi and 4 & 5 do not.

If you sit near an Admiral's Club, you can leech off of their wifi connection which allows free access to aa.com.

I tried that. I stood right at the entry door holding my netbook but could not get a signal that said Admirals Club.

If you sit near an Admiral's Club, you can leech off of their wifi connection which allows free access to aa.com.

Assuming you have the AAdvantage number of a paying member.

As a generalization, most large connecting hubs (ORD, DFW, DTW, MSP) do not have free Wifi. It's not uncommon for smaller airports with less connecting traffic (SEA, BOS, ABQ, MCI, TUS) to have free WiFi. (DEN, a smaller connecting hub, does have free wifi as well.) I don't like it, but that's the way it is.


The only major hub that I know has free internet is SFO. Well, it's 45 minutes. But you can just re-login each time.

I tried that. I stood right at the entry door holding my netbook but could not get a signal that said Admirals Club.

Similar thing happens to me outside of the RCC at SFO. Somehow TMobile Hotspot has it configured that once you're outside of the RCC, the signal is gone. I can't even see it. But once inside the door, the signal for TMobile Red Carpet Club is on. I suspect that they're doing the same at the Admiral Club.

Probably along the lines why 3* hotels have free wifi and 4 & 5 do not.

Do not get me started on THAT. :mad:

You've paid for electricity at an airport? How about the water fountains and heat & A/C :confused::eek::p

I most certainly have paid for those, in the form of landing fees, passenger facility charges, rental car taxes and so on.

DEN is a significantly larger hub, in terms of passenger throughput, than SFO.

CLT has also had free wi-fi for a couple of years now.

ATL also does not have free wi-fi. AA certainly does not control that. Free can also carry risks.

They have free internet kiosks, but you need to supply your own ethernet cable...(
You can do that? Cool!

They have free internet kiosks, but you need to supply your own ethernet cable. I have no idea why it isn't free, but honestly I think internet access should be seen as a basic commodity like electricity and provided freely. But that will never happen because there is $ to be made...:td::(

I have definitely seen those plugs, and often wondered how many people carry their own ethernet cables.

I have definitely seen those plugs, and often wondered how many people carry their own ethernet cables.

I always carry one in my laptop bag & have used those many times. That is until last month when I decided to join the Admiral's Club with the 30% off promo.

There are numerous times when having my own cable has came in handy. (I need to get a new one now as one of the clips is broken & can easily be knocked out)

I always carry one in my laptop bag & have used those many times. That is until last month when I decided to join the Admiral's Club with the 30% off promo.

There are numerous times when having my own cable has came in handy. (I need to get a new one now as one of the clips is broken & can easily be knocked out)

You can buy a crimper and easily fix Ethernet cable heads for cheap. I've had to fix tons of cables in the past making the investment in a crimper well worth it.

Looks like wifi may be free in the ACs now. I got free wifi at HNL and now at DFW.

Looks like wifi may be free in the ACs now. I got free wifi at HNL and now at DFW.

What about whole DFW terminals does have free wifi?

What about whole DFW terminals does have free wifi?

Well, it's probably a test rollout now in certain ACs. I got free wifi in the HNL, DFW D, and SFO ACs, but not in the DFW A, LAX ACs. I'm not going to be traveling to many other ACs in the near future, so I won't be able to get a better sampling.