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"14 Airport Hacks" - Seems Wrong/Unethical

"14 Airport Hacks" - Seems Wrong/Unethical

Old Sep 27, 2016, 11:45 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by airplanegod
I have to ask, what "major" US airports in 2016 don't have free public WiFi? I know many mid-small airports either don't have WiFi or make you pay to use it, but I am curious what major hubs don't or make you pay so I can avoid flying into them.
MIA
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Old Sep 27, 2016, 12:25 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
That's the same logic used to justify illegally downloading movies, music, etc.
So what's your point?
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Old Sep 27, 2016, 12:27 pm
  #33  
 
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If there truly is no money from the state or from the airport company to provide free wifi to passengers (which is very unlikely as free wifi is not that expensive to offer at all) then I'd happily have the airport raise the airport landing fee with one cent per ticket to cover the expense.

But I don't want to go through the hassle of paying for wifi when I might urgently need it to contact family or something etc.
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Old Sep 27, 2016, 12:31 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by teddybear99
MIA
I think it's an absolute abomination that in 2016 such a major airport doesn't have free unlimited wifi.

In Sao Paulo GRU, you get only 1 hour free. I think 1 hour is fair though unlimited would be better of course. I don't know if the rlling back your computer clock thing works there, didn't try.

I've never had no wifi in European airports, except for MAD where I didn't get the free wifi to work (it is there though and in T4S I did succeed in getting it to work). Though to be honest I don't check it always, sometimes if I arrive I just immediately proceed to wherever I want to go.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 12:25 am
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Bakpapier
So what's your point?
Do you support pirating movies?
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:10 am
  #36  
 
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Last time I was through Frankfurt, the free wfi in the concourse was quite limited. Maybe 15 minutes?

There is a cost to unauthorized users. In the very short run, the network becomes more congested. In the longer run, the more congested network leads to more hardware and bandwidth expenses to increase capacity or a network with deteriorating performance. Analogy with roads and congestion.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:16 am
  #37  
 
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In Zurich last week the wifi booted me off after two hours (and the airline club used the airport wifi).

Bakpapier: I find the easiest way to pay for wifi if I need to is to let Skype handle it.

wg
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:59 am
  #38  
 
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Free wifi is nice but not of much concern to me - I can survive without it so no need to hack it. Believe it or not, in the ancient past we used to travel around the world without wifi, the internet, or even mobile phones:-:
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 9:14 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by 84fiero
Free wifi is nice but not of much concern to me - I can survive without it so no need to hack it. Believe it or not, in the ancient past we used to travel around the world without wifi, the internet, or even mobile phones:-:
Been there and done that.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 11:12 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by airplanegod
I have to ask, what "major" US airports in 2016 don't have free public WiFi? I know many mid-small airports either don't have WiFi or make you pay to use it, but I am curious what major hubs don't or make you pay so I can avoid flying into them.
Although HNL is not a HUB, WiFi is not free.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 8:25 pm
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by wendyg
In Zurich last week the wifi booted me off after two hours (and the airline club used the airport wifi).

Bakpapier: I find the easiest way to pay for wifi if I need to is to let Skype handle it.

wg
Recently I've been given a special wifi receipt at the ZRH LX lounges when entering the lounge, which has a special code for the airport WiFi (I'm usually already signed in using my phone number, but useful when that boots me off).

With regards to some of the other items: I do find the payment for luggage carts is ridiculous. A deposit is OK, but payment is just silly. I've already paid the airport fees. Most of the other items are either stupid, or just plain misguided.
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Old Sep 29, 2016, 12:22 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by televisor
Recently I've been given a special wifi receipt at the ZRH LX lounges when entering the lounge, which has a special code for the airport WiFi (I'm usually already signed in using my phone number, but useful when that boots me off).

With regards to some of the other items: I do find the payment for luggage carts is ridiculous. A deposit is OK, but payment is just silly. I've already paid the airport fees. Most of the other items are either stupid, or just plain misguided.
A deposit I'd get - similar to shopping carts in many places (at least ouside US).

Though I've never seen a luggage cart cost money outside the US (not saying it doesn't exist, just haven't really seen it)

And when landing from an international flight in the US, for many their first time in the US, and really the only place where you're held captive, it's a big slap in the face to tourists
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Old Sep 29, 2016, 4:39 am
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
Do you support pirating movies?
Why are you talking about a wholly other subject (movies) in a thread about airports?

Why don't you just rebut my logical argument instead of starting to talk about something else?

I think it's a sign of weakness that shows that my argument is right.
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Old Sep 29, 2016, 5:31 am
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Bakpapier
Why are you talking about a wholly other subject (movies) in a thread about airports?

Why don't you just rebut my logical argument instead of starting to talk about something else?

I think it's a sign of weakness that shows that my argument is right.
It's not a sign of weakness. It's a benchmark question. You support stealing WiFi because no resources are being stolen (false in its own right). If you support movie piracy, I can then see you're consistent and show the myriad laws and legal precedents that show it to be illegal. We can then debate whether a non-harmful law that someone doesn't like - is it acceptable/appropriate to break it. If you don't support movie piracy, then we can discuss why you make such a differentiation.

That being said, talking about airports, stealing WiFi.

If an airport charges for WiFi, good chance it costs them money to run. There are certainly fixed costs for the WiFi, whether used or not. But the airport isn't an ISP, so they're contracting it. Perhaps the deal they have charges per MB used. If so, then when you take WiFi that you didn't pay for, they are indeed being charged. Any surfing you do, regardless of they're payment structure, uses resources and could use bandwidth that someone else was willing to pay for. In fact, your internet use could slow the speeds for others (who were willing to pay) who are now no longer willing to pay in the future because of the perceived lower speeds.

Sure, that sounds far-fetched. After all, can 1 person have such an effect? Maybe not, but if multiple people utilize a similar strategy, it can absolutely have an effect. Now you can then argue that that's not the same as a store where you don't need multiple person to steal an item to affect them but I'd argue. Stealing 1 bottle of soda from Wal Mart isn't affecting their bottom line. But if everyone takes a bottle without paying, it absolutely affects their bottom line. And yet we accept that even 1 person doing so is wrong.
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Old Sep 29, 2016, 7:18 am
  #45  
 
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Maybe I am thick but why on earth would one pack a gun in their carry-on bag? That's what we check-in bags.

On another note, I was in international arrivals in BOM a few years ago. Wi-Fi is free but the access code will be texted by them to an India phone number only. This is when you are in the 'international' arrivals hall. SMH.
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