laptops on planes and in airports

I'm just back from my first trip to the USA in 7 years and have a question which might seem stupid, but I'd really appreciate some info!

On the plane, I saw lots of people using laptops.  What were they doing?  I wouldn't have thought you could get an internet connection up there... or is there Wifi on planes?

Also, after spending a small fortune using airport internet computers at ridiculous prices, is there Wifi in airports for all these people sprawled all over the floors using their laptops?  Or are they using dongles?

And if they're using dongles, how are they doing it?  Cos surely it would be costing them a fortune using, for instance an UK Vodafone dongle in the US.  I racked up over £80 in calls and texts on my mobile while I was away for less than a week, and that was me trying to be extremely prudent with it, and switching off all my data connections, roaming, etc. 

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There are things you can do with a computer that don't require the internet.   

They could be watching movies or typing up a report or any number of things.

As for wifi, I think a few airlines have started offering wifi on planes, and I'm sure various airports have wifi.  Depending on how much money they make or whether they're allowed to claim wifi as an expense for their jobs, the cost may not be a big factor.

Hiya Tracey,
Hey if ya don't ask you don't find out so no such thing as a stupid question
 You can use electronic equipment on the plane once it reaches a certain height for playing games,doing office documents,watching a DVD etc. You can't use Wifi up in the air. There are some planes that are starting to offering wifi on the plane but they are very few and far between and no idea what they'd charge for the service or how it work.
Most airports these days have Wifi either through out the whole airport or have a certain area that has Wifi availabe. Sometimes its free sometimes they charge for it.  Bostons Logan Airport for example has free wifi in certain areas of the airport. I only know that because thats the one i use when i visit back to the States .
So when you see folks spread out on their laptops prolly quite a few are using the free wifi/chargable wifi and some are probably using a dongle. I don't have/use a dongle so if there is no free/chargable wifi i don't get on the net at all ..
Hope that helps answer a few of your questions

Thanks guys... i guess it didn't occur to me that they'd be watching movies, since there were something like 72 movies and 116 TV programmes to watch on the plane's entertainment system.  But that makes sense.

And games?  That never occurred either, because I don't play games!  But of course that makes sense too.

Thanks for the replies!

A lot of people also pay for say a T-mobile account, boingo, ipass, etc which allows you to use wifi hotspots in places.  I often hack into wifi via BT Openzone.  Or they just decide to suck it up and pay say £10.99/4 hours of wifi if it's that important to them.  When I travel for work ,I'm allowed to claim back the wifi costs if necessary.  (If I'm travelling for me, I don't bother - I don't need to be that connected!!)

Yeap, more and more wifi also becoming available on flights. It's a bit harder logistically on transatlantic/transpacific flights, but technology is getting there.