A rant about noise pollution inside U.S. airports

Warning: This blog post is a rant. (But it does have a purpose.)

I travel a lot, over 100,000 miles so far this year in 8 countries.

As I pass through airport concourses (after security), in nearly every U.S. city I hear loud messages every ten minutes or so that are more or less like this:

"In order to expedite the security screening process, Transportation Security Administration regulations now require that liquids, gels, and aerosols carried through the screening area must be in three-ounce or smaller containers carried in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Each traveler can only use one bag and must remove it from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. So remember 3-1-1 to speed your screening process."

I'M ALREADY THROUGH THE SCREENING AREA.

I’m in the freakin' airport already! Why do you insist on playing this inane announcement again and again and again and again and again and again for people who have already passed through the damn security area?

I asked a TSA representative about this. He couldn't have been nicer as he explained the concourse announcements are not required. He said that the airport he works at has only one Public Address channel so the announcement is played everywhere, all the time, including to the tens of thousands of passengers inside the terminals.

This is annoying and stupid.

Do the airports not care about passengers? Is noise pollution not an issue?

As long as I have your attention, another noise pollution issue inside many U.S. airports is the constant blaring of CNN Airport Network in every gate. According to the CNN Airport Network site, this noise pollution "is available in 43 of the busiest U.S. airports and is seen in more than 2,000+ gates and other viewing areas."

I wonder how many of the gates of those 43 airports do not have CNN Airport noise pollution? Probably zero.

Oh, and don't get me started about "Logan Radio" that plays constantly at my home airport in Boston.

I do not experience this level of noise pollution at airports I visit outside the U.S.

Hey, airport administrators – you need to create some quiet space for passengers who don’t want to listen to this sort of crap. While you're focused on being "green" (the buzzword of the year at airports), why not spend some time being silent too?

[end of rant]

This sort of tuned out behavior happens when organizations do things for their own benefit, rather than their customers benefit. Are you unwittingly doing something to annoy your customers?

The most successful organizations understand their buyers and create positive experiences for them.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Comments

[Bryan Larkin]

David. You are so right regarding airport noise pollution. My times at foreign airports are a joy compared to the din at those in the US.

Here you can't think and, God forbid, you want to have a phone conversation! It never fails that as soon as the other party picks up, an announcement starts up.

I would, however, recommend a stop at the Albany, NY, airport. They seem to do it right as it is usually quite calm and relaxed with only occasional announcements and tasteful, quiet music. But don't go near the gates. CNN is always blaring!

[Jake LaCaze]

I've only flown twice and haven't noticed this. But thanks to your post, I'm sure I'll notice the next time I fly. Thank you for this.

[Jackie Ann Patterson]

Agreed that most airports are too loud and I'd add local gate announcements broadcast loud enough for the whole concourse to your list.
On the good side, San Jose Terminal A surprised me with a little quiet last week. (Can't say the same for even Terminal C in the same airport which was a madhouse. )

[Pollution Problem]

The Government is to review air standards to see if they are realistic. But Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says that means it intends to weaken or delay them. Environment Minister Nick Smith today said air quality standards needed to be “practical and achievable” and 10 cities and towns, including Auckland and Christchurch, were unlikely to meet the standards set in 2005 by the 2013 deadline. A technical advisory group would review the national environmental standards for particulate air pollution under the Resource Management Act.

[John Wall]

The two most important parts of air travel are to get into the clubs and get Clear: http://www.flyclear.com

[David Meerman Scott]

@John - Yes, I am a member of Clear. It is great, but it is in so few airports.

[Brandon Moyles]

Nice Post! Loved that you tied it in with an organization's need to get over their own ego and put their customer's needs first. I can't help but view airport announcements in the classic 'Boy Who Cried Wolf' scenario. What action are you really going initiate, through announcements we've trained ourselves to tune out?

[Nick Morgan]

David --

Couldn't agree more. Noise is just one of the many ways that air travelers are treated like cattle in airports and on the planes. It's the disdain for the customer that is so particularly irritating.

[Emile]

Amen, amen, amen! I am so sick of the trend that the air has to be filled with sound at every waking moment. Your comments on airport noise are on target. The idea applies to about every other public place you can go, as well. Must every bar have loud music ALL the time? Ever gone somewhere for Happy Hour with friends and you end up yelling at each other in order to be heard? Whatever happened to quiet time or time to have conversation? Yoicks! (I guess I should have placed your Rant warning at the beginning of this comment.) Anyway, thanks for the great post.

Grumpy Old Man

[David]

In England and Wales noise pollution is covered by The Control of Pollution Act 1974.

It is not a matter of the content but of the decibel level, so inane announcements at low levels would be immune from prosecution. (The would require the introduction of the Control of Inane Pollution Act 2011)

A person may lodge a complaint with the local authority and require it to investigate and if the noise is above the allowed decibel levels and is not abated, to prosecute in the magistrates court.

If the authority refuses to prosecute, an individual can bring a prosecution.

Is there similar legislation in the States?

Suggestion: Get a decibel meter to check out the announcements.

[Ellen Maiara, CMP]

David,

Have you noticed more and more people using their noise reduction headphones in the terminals? It works great!

[Dave Brown]

David,

I too have noticed that most foreign airports are quieter -- even really big ones like Frankfurt. To some degree I think that's just a reflection of the differences in cultures. In American culture there seems to be a need to be hard-driving, hyperactive, and yes, loud. There's also the government monopoly factor: airports are government monopolies and usually under such circumstances caring about the customer goes out the window.

Aside from being unable to talk on the phone, the thing that frustrates me most is not being able to hear the announcements I really need to hear -- like the one at my own gate telling me how long my flight is delayed!

[Kleber Oliveira]

In Brazil we had this kind of harassing just until a couple of months ago. Now all airports are allowed to make flight announcements through the sound systems only near the boarding gates. In a reasonable volume. Reducing the overall noise levels, it is easier now to listen and actually understand the messages. A simple question of contrast.

[Justin Locke]

Well in my experience, within most organizations large and small, most people are focused on only one buyer persona, and that is the person above them with power to hire/fire/ give raises and bonuses. Other than your lectures, where is one to learn to focus on something other than one’s own advancement? In all my years in the music business I never once heard anyone use the word “customer.” Customer perception was always someone else’s job. it's frightening to think about strangers so we're always eager to delegate the task.

Anyway, kudos to the salesperson who understood HIS customer and sold all those video systems to the airports. C’mon, credit where credit is due. I am sure he/she made a great presentation, telling the FAA how much we would all love it. ;-)

[Gregory Heller]

I agree with you completely on this. I am also a frequent traveler, usually about 40 legs a year the last few years, and the announcements and muzak or music and cnn airport network are madening. I think it is interesting to see how many people are tuning out all of this noise with noise canceling headphones. Wouldn't it be nicer if we could just have some quite in public places?

[DaveMurr]

I travel out of Detroit and I can set my watch to the "Threat Level Security" warning that is played every 15 minutes.

On my last flight to DC, I would have paid the announcer of departures. I have never heard a more charismatic, energetic and funny employee at the airport. I wish I would have filmed it.

Noise worth hearing.

[Orlando Travel]

David,

I also find it difficult to do business in many airports. However, I have noticed that some concourses seem to do a better job of controlling announcements and noise than others.

[Tina Haisman]

Wow! That is SO true! Hopefully you've been heard! Thanks for ranting for all of us!

[Mark Sinclair]

David - I know EXACTLY what you mean. It's really bad in the UK and Europe too, but there are some airports in the US which take the cake ...

... until you travel on First Great Western rail in the UK, that is. They are incredible. Utterly utterly pointless, repetitive, annoying and noise pollutant announcements which drive most people up the wall.

I might even record them one day to share with you ...

Cheers
Mark

[Roger Bombardier Jr.]

WHY? Why must the TV always be BLARING? We don’t want to watch the TV. If the TV must be going make it closed caption. So that those of us who do not like TV don’t have to hear the damn thing. Also if you turn OFF the volume and make it closed caption only, you will be encouraging litteracy as well. Most of the television on is trash anyway. If you are to force TV watching make it history channel, or discovery, or PBS. Plus with out this annoyance, the airport announcements would not have to be so LOUD!