[zerkten]

> wouldn't it be sweet if businesses just let anyone join their WiFi? Bike repair shops always leave a pump outside for anyone to use, not just customers.

That's a flawed analogy. It'd be sweet if I could do any prohibited thing whenever I feel like it.

How frequently is the pump oversubscribed that it causes a queue and blocks the sidewalk? If this happened, the repair shop would soon stop leaving a pump outside.

With a WiFi network in an airport you have regular situations where demand outstrips capacity. This isn't something that is discovered later, it's common sense before you even operate the service. Users attempt to download movies at the last minute for their flights, and in many cases each person will attempt to connect multiple devices to the hotspot. The hotspot provider setup things to support their clientele. They'd have set it up differently if they wanted it available for use by all.