Logan Airport, Continental feud over Wi-Fi access

The airline offers its wireless for free; the airport charges

By Linda Rosencrance

August 5, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - The Massachusetts Port Authority is feuding with Continental Airlines Inc. over wireless access at Boston's Logan International Airport, and the airline has now asked federal authorities to step in to resolve the fight.
Massport, the state agency that operates the airport, last month asked the airline to stop offering customers free Wi-Fi service, saying the wireless service "presents an unacceptable risk" to other communication equipment.
In a July 5 letter to Continental about the issue, Massport officials claimed that Continental is violating its lease by offering the free service and said that if the airline does not remove its antenna, the state agency will take "all necessary steps to have the antenna removed."
The real problem, according to a source close to the situation, is that Continental's free Wi-Fi competes with Logan's $7.95-per-day service.
"Continental has been providing free Wi-Fi in all our President's Clubs, including our international clubs, since 2004," said Continental spokeswoman Julie King. "We think providing it is consistent with the FCC's regulations, and we also think it's permissible under the terms of our lease with Massport."
Continental has turned to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to settle the matter (download PDF). Massport declined to comment, citing the ongoing fight.
"This could get touchy," said Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn. "Probably this will end up in court if Continental has the money. I suspect Continental will back down. [There's] not much for them to gain here."
Dulaney said the following issues are involved:

Wi-Fi is in an unlicensed band. That means anyone can operate anything in that band as long as it complies with with the FCC's Part 15 rules, which all WLAN equipment does.

If Continental uses wired transmission facilities owned by the airport, the airline doesn't have a case.

Given that landowners also own the airspace above their property, Massport could claim ownership of the air rights. If the wireless use is not mentioned in the current lease, then Continental may have an advantage until the lease is renewed.

"I suspect you will continue to see this type of thing. It's happened before and will happen again," said Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates in Northboro, Mass. "The basic problem is that airports [and other public facilities] see wireless as a potential revenue stream, whereas Continental makes its revenue on plane fares and sees wireless as a way to keep their customers happy.
"What the airport authorities fail to understand is, if they keep up with this 'extortion,' users will find

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