Oakland Airport Event Today Celebrates Free Wi-Fi

As we announced late last month, Oakland International has been busy testing the newly installed - and free to passengers, Wi-Fi service throughout the airport. With this new service, Oakland passengers will no longer need to whip out a credit card to pay for wireless Internet access. Instead, users will notice non-intrusive advertisements from companies such as Microsoft, American Express and Holiday Inn as they connect to the web.

To celebrate the new service, airport officials will hold a small wire cutting event later this morning, demonstrating the new service and its associated benefit to travelers.

More information on the new service:

Los Angeles-based FreeFi Networks is the company providing the installation at Oakland Airport. "Air travelers like Wi-Fi, but don't like paying for it," said Lawrence laffer, FreeFi's director of sales and marketing, in a press release.

Oakland Airport is the second major airport installation for FreeFi. A successful launch at Denver International Airport earlier this year has been cheered by business and leisure travelers alike, commenting on the overall quality of service and limited advertisements while connected.

Airlines Eye Additional Onboard Ads

On a recent East Coast U.S Air flight I came across this advertisement for Verizon on my tray table. This addition to the U.S Airways fleet, which began several months ago, is expected to provide additional revenue to the airline and help curb the high cost of fuel.

The idea and location of the ads, which at first glance seem a bit comical when lowering the tray table, are anything but funny for a suffering airline industry desperately to again fly high.

With the recent drop in fuel prices, can we still expect advertisement-covered tray tables to encroach on your airline of choice?

Possibly so.

Although the worst seems to be over for airlines' record high fuel costs, it has prompted an industry-wide reaction on methods to increase revenue, without necessarily raises the base cost of airline tickets. If passengers find the advertising on U.S Airways flights is not overly intrusive, it may go over well, and thus adopted by other airlines.

Although advertising revenue from tray tables will not alleviate all the financial pains of the airlines, it is one of many steps the airlines can take to move in the direction of profitability.

Oakland Airport Rolling Out Free WiFi

FreeFi Networks, Inc., the new WiFi service provider at Oakland International Airport, is in the process of rolling out free WiFi service throughout the airport.

Oakland Airport spokesperson Joanne Holloway said the wireless technology is being rolled out in phases. By the end of this week, Gates 20-24 and 29-32 in Terminal 2 should be up and running.

The FreeFi Network is known for their ad-based model of WiFi, allowing users free Internet usage provided they can sit through a brief series of advertisements. Although Oakland Airport officials have not said what, if any, type of advertising will we bundled into the free service, there is a general consensus it will be unobtrusive and fairly-low key, based on feedback from other FreeFi clients.

Delta Debuts Ads With Online Boarding Passes

Starting today, Delta Airlines customers checking in online for Las Vegas will see something more than their flight information on their boarding pass; Ads.

Perhaps you want information on the David Copperfield magic performance or details on current Cirque du Soleil shows. All of this - and more, on your boarding pass.

While some airlines are flying off into a direction of electronic boarding passes - dumping the paper all together, Delta Airlines is taxiing on with the good old fashioned paper boarding passes, just now exercising a creative use. Sure they are making a few bucks on the ads, but they claim to also be offering a service to passengers, particularly last minute folks, who don't necessarily have the time to research their destination before hoping on the plane. And let's face it, with airlines cutting back on inflight entertainment, raising the price of food and liquid and filling the planes to capacity, maybe these advertisements will keep passengers occupied in flight.

But love it or hate it, almost all Delta passengers will face it. By the end of the week, Delta will expand the ads so virtually everyone printing a domestic boarding pass at home will find advertisements batched with boarding passes. The company behind the technology says however that passengers will have an opt out box should they decide not to print out the ads.

Northwest and U.S Airways stated they too will begin boarding pass advertisements by year end as well.

Southwest Media Blitz: 'Fees Don't Fly With Us'

Each week it seems flyers are hit with yet another fee from the airlines. For example, last month Delta airlines announced they will add a $25-$50 fuel surcharge to all award redemption tickets. American airlines rolled out a $5 fee to all award tickets booked on their website, and even higher if you call the airline directly. Next month, United will assess $15 for the first piece of luggage checked, while a soda pop or coffee will set you back a couple bucks when flying U.S Airways. With many of these mainline carriers we are reminded that the ticket you purchase is merely for a seat on the plane; think Greyhound bus, but with wings.

Then comes along Southwest Airlines. With banner messages such as, "No surprise fees," and "Fees don't fly with us," the airline launched a media campaign last month which clearly goes against the nickel-and-diming strategy present throughout the rest of the industry. One television features a traveler feeding quarters into coin boxes to open the overhead bin, adjust his seat, and close his window blind.

In addition to television ads, the ad blitz covered print media, online banner ads, and radio spots. The airline also dedicated a page on their website outlining fees Southwest does not charge for.