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Survey Finds Airport Wi-Fi More Important Than Food
Ninjakicks writes "For the business traveler (and the traveler in general, really),
Wi-Fi is important — crucial, even. But more important than sustenance?
That's exactly what was found in
a recent survey by American Airlines and HP, where some 47% of business
travelers responded that Wi-Fi was the most important airport amenity,
outscoring basic travels needs such as food by nearly 30 percent."
Personally, I find it easier to pack food to bring with me than an ethernet cord long enough to get from my cable modem to the airport.
But that's just me.
The people answering the survey recognize -- apparently better than the people who looked at the results -- that every airport has some food in it, but not every airport has acceptable Wi-Fi. No one answering the survey was thinking "I'd rather starve on the net than feast without it!"
I disagree. Airport food is usually pretty good, although it is way too expensive. Also, trying to get a nice meal (which, for me, usually includes drinks and sauces or yogurt) through security is not that easy.
I think this has more to do with a pyramid of needs. Once you have enough sleep, you think about water. Once you have enough water, you think about nutrition. Once you have enough nutrition, you think about the food tasting good, and so on.
What this survey means is that airports are meeting those basic needs well enough that people can think about things that are higher up on the pyramid but not adequately provided, not that those things lower on the pyramid are actually that important.
Imagine for a moment that airports suddenly removed all of the bathrooms. Where do you think Wifi would rank on the next survey?
weirdest thing I ever saw: scientology advertising on slashdot.
The history of every major galactic civilisation has passed through three distinct and recognisable phases: those of survival, inquiry, and sophistication. Otherwise known as the 'How', 'Why', and 'Where' phases.
For instance, the first phase is characterised by the question: "How can we eat?" The second by the question: "Why do we eat?" And the third by the question: "Where should we have lunch?"
"a recent survey by American Airlines and HP"....
I bet "a recent survey by American Airlines and Pizza Hut" would have come to the opposite conclusion.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
I absolutely hate how many US airports don't provide free Wifi for travelers (free Wifi seems to be more common abroad). For a minuscule fraction of their budget, airports could provide an invaluable service. It must change.
In my experience (generally 20+ business trips per year) there is usually a decent restaurant or two somewhere in most airports - especially the newer ones. Of course sometimes the "good" restaurant is in a completely different concourse from where your flight is departing, and the prices tend to be pretty high.
Case in point: the new Indianapolis airport. I was pleasantly surprised at the food quality in the 500 Grill, where I had a tuna steak cooked to order on a bed of greens ... and incidentally Indy airport has free wifi but it's pretty slow.
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
It cost $10 a day for bandwidth that was none too awesome.
Wifi at airports is free. If you are paying for it, you're doing it wrong.
Here's how to do it:
Even for a "business" user, you should be well enough organised that your employer can afford to be out of touch with you for a short period, without suffering catastrophic business failure (if not, they should fire you immediately as you are obviously a single point of failure and as such a total liability to the organisation).
If you do suffer symptoms of stress or anxiety when disconnected from the 'net this sounds a lot like a personality disorder - even if you do use the old line: "No, really, I just like the internet. I could give up any time".
politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
Want to be the most popular guy at the airport? Throw a plug strip in your laptop bag. After turning two plugs into seven, all the tech addicts on the flight were buying me drinks. Good times.