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.

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.

A Downside of Cheap Fares: Flight Cuts

(Wall Street Journal)
Oakland International Airport has ridden the wave of rapidly growing discount airlines to a 58% increase in passengers over the past 10 years. And now Oakland is in the vanguard of the next giant trend in aviation.

Grounded flights.

In November, Oakland will have 28% fewer departing seats than it had a year earlier, the largest decline among the nation's 50 biggest airports, according to OAG Analytical Services, which tracks airline schedules. AMR Corp.'s American Airlines and Continental Airlines Inc. have both decided to pull out completely from Oakland; other carriers are trimming flight schedules. Read More