Changi Airport cancels boarding announcements; quiet airports to become a trend

Frequent travelers are likely accustomed to the constant barrage of announcements at airports, but in the future, those calling you to board your flight will become increasingly rare. Starting this year, Singapore’s Changi Airport has completely phased out passenger boarding call broadcasts. As one of Asia’s top international airports, Changi’s move to cancel boarding calls carries symbolic significance.

The primary reason for Changi Airport’s decision to stop boarding announcements is the excessive noise level within the terminals. The noise not only disturbs airport staff but also frequently interrupts passengers’ rest. Moreover, the frequent broadcasts have led people to pay less attention to the information being conveyed, potentially causing them to miss important messages relevant to themselves.

According to statistics, in the past, Changi Airport averaged one announcement every five minutes, mainly calling passengers who had not yet boarded their flights. Starting this year, the broadcast system will only announce emergencies requested by passengers—such as lost children, incorrect passport information, flight delays, and gate changes.

This “Quiet Airport Initiative” is not unique to Changi Airport. Currently, several major airports around the world have already stopped general information broadcast calls. Airports such as Hong Kong International Airport, Brussels Airport in Belgium, and Munich Airport in Germany only activate their broadcast systems in case of emergencies. Regardless of how passengers feel about this approach, it is a trend that airports will gradually adopt in the future.