Public wifi in airports, lounges, and cafes is convenient and genuinely risky. Open networks make it easier for others to intercept what you send, which is a problem when your laptop is full of client work.
Use a trusted VPN whenever you connect on a network you do not control. It encrypts your traffic so a shared connection is far less exposed. Keep your devices and browser updated, and be wary of networks with names that only look official, since lookalike hotspots are a common trick.
For anything truly sensitive, your phone's own connection is safer than open wifi. Tethering for a few minutes beats sending confidential material across a network anyone can join.