In order to reduce noise pollution, more and more airports are promoting a "silent airport" idea, especially in Europe.
Aiming to offer timely and helpful updates of information, international airports were once characterized by their high voices, competing gate announcements and so on. Now, it is all changing. Angela Gittens, director general of Airports Council International (ACI), says there is a growing desire among airports and airlines they serve to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere without being disturbed by announcements. "Passengers can relax while they wait for their flight to board in the common airside lounges(休闲区), and food and drink areas," she says.
Finland has a tourism slogan(口号) which is "silence, please". In June, Helsinki Airport in Finland adopted the silent airport idea, therefore, announcements for flights are made only in some certain boarding gate areas. Nobody's going to call you to your flight, as announcements in all terminals(航站楼) will be made only in emergency circumstances. People begin to worry, what if they miss their boarding time?
Actually, there's no need to worry about this. Heikki Koski, vice president of Helsinki Airport, says that the improved flight information display system, together with the advanced technology, is changing the way airports communicate with passengers. At Munich airport, Passengers can simply tap a "you are here" display to get directions and approximate walking time to their destinations.
Of course, it is impossible that an airport will be as silent as a temple. There will continue to be an increasing need for airport-wide emergency announcements along with boarding calls. But at silent airports, these announcements should be restricted to specific gates, not the whole airport, as has adopted in Helsinki.
