Terminal Racket: The Scourge of Airport Noise

And it keeps going on the plane... no, I don't want the credit card. Just let me sleep.

One of the noisiest airports I have been to is CDG; the new terminals in particular with their curved, cathedral ceilings where sounds bounces off. The old terminal one, the circular one with its tubes criss-crossing within the donut hole, can be noisy at times but mostly smells of urine and tobacco.

Inflicting Faux News on a captive audience is torture!

I have trouble inside planes hearing and understanding anything attendants or pilots say over their intercom systems. Does any airline have good quality audio or do they all come from the lowest bidder?

In LAS, Frontier makes "this is the last and final boarding call for flight XXX" every three minutes for about 20 minutes before a flight leaves. Clearly is it not.

CNN in every seating area is enough to drive anyone crazy. I was paid $300 to watch CNN for on hour a day, 7 PM to 8 PM each night. The agreement was for one month. I quit after one week. I know why they buy their way into airports. There would be no eyes to market. Depressing, negative, unlikable presenters. I might not like your views, but with likeable news readers you might be tolerable. Place the TVs on closed caption.

I am happy to learn that my home airport - SFO - will go silent/quiet. Now, if carriers could do the same.

MAN, you GOT THAT RIGHT!.. My Wife and I every year take the 20,000+ mile Trip from MAF (Midland, Texas) to MNL (Manila, Philippines).. Usually via Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan or S. Korea.. Most are like MAF to DFW, to Japan/S.Korea, and finally Manila 2 Stop Off's.. We have taken these 26 to 32 hour Flight Combos since 2005.. The Noise Level in Airports has increased every year it seems.. To the Point that I now wear Ear Plus in MOST Airports.. The WORST are US and Hong Kong Airports!. So much echo from too loud that you can not understand them!. Always have someone ask us, WHAT DID THEY SAY?

This is why I carry something to play music with while I am at the airport, or at least waiting at the gate. Sadly, airport buildings do not have enough sound deadening materials around to help tone it all down. As the author notes, building design seems to amplify it so it sounds like Carnegie Hall.

Spot on.

"Certain security measures have been" *jams USB charging cables into ears to puncture eardrums*

There's a reason I pay for a club membership, and it's mostly to avoid being screamed at every three minutes with the same announcement I've heard for a decade plus.

I was going to mention the airport forcing CNN down our throats but the author beat me to it. I'd love to see the look on passenger's faces if they ran Fox News at SFO!