Changi Airport Group (CAG) has announced through media that starting from 1 January, final call announcements will not be made to inform passengers to head to their boarding gates nor call for specific passengers in the airport.
The group added that only essential announcements will be made including those pertaining to emergencies, lost and found children and passports, flight delays, gate changes and belt changes.
According to CAG, this decision was made so that passengers and visitors will pay close attention as and when announcements are made, as well as putting up efforts to make the airport a more pleasant and quiet place, with the number of announcements set to be halved with the new initiative.
Readers on the news commented on this new initiative, with some disagreeing and some pointing out that this is not a new practice among airports.
Tom Holladay wrote, “Why, to what benefit? You have plenty of people in and visiting Singapore who need help making their flights, servants, guest workers, visitors, the elderly. An occasional announcement does not hurt anybody.”
Min Yong Wong wrote, “Down right stupid – if more people miss their flights then it will backfire on them – the passengers will complain and kow peh and then lets see what happens.”
Oliver John Lim wrote, “Honestly, I don’t mind these final boarding call announcements. Changi Airport is so huge there are times when passengers don’t realize that their gate is almost a km away!”
Allison Thorson wrote, “We don’t listen to announcements when they don’t apply to us but, trust me, we listen when we know we gotta. I’ve travelled my whole life and half tuned out anything that doesn’t have to do with my flight. Final boarding call is the one major thing I listen for especially if I’m in a rush so what’s the point?”
Irene Liang wrote, “Was praising Changi Airport having these unique services… But now….”
Siti Hajar wrote, “Final call for boarding is ok. It is the specific passengers that i think should stop.”
Zulkifli Mamat wrote, “Wah! Didn’t know now airport need silences like graveyards. What a step ahead!”
Jack Loh wrote, “If they don’t understand English or mandarin or read the boarding pass how? Also there is so much temptation places to shop and definitely some people may over look at time. Or transit passengers that have problem with connecting flight due to late arrival of their last destination aircraft. Airport meant to have announcement speaker. Whoever proposed such things must be a square head idiot!”
Yuenmeng Fanfan wrote, “Be more responsible you miss the flight that your problem cannot expect the whole plane to wait for you, kindness and fairness are always our guiding principle.”
Saud Sultan wrote, “Yes we have to be the best stopping announcements is a great step. Don’t like it miss your flight and start looking at TV monitor for details of flight gate change.”
Theo DeRoza wrote, “Well, as long as you’re doing things for the benefit of passengers and actively helping to prevent them from making a mistake Just like how Apple and Amazon do it.”
Gina Tok wrote, “It’s a good practice that passengers adopt the system. Unless emergencies arises of delay, change of gates etc!”
Sangha Vandana wrote, “It’s time. Commuters must exercise self discipline and cannot rely on spoon feed announcement and paging.”
Yeoh Henry wrote, “Good bold move for passengers. Irritating continual repeats for late passengers.”
Some gave suggestions to the airport to make it more effective.
Mike Michael wrote, “In addition, please stop announcing so-and-so’s passports have been found. Just confiscate their passports – that’s for being so irresponsible and careless!”
Jeremy Goh wrote, “Send to their phone will be more effective.”
Heather J Tang wrote, “Do something about the free wifi connectivity, the speed is very, very, very slow; messages still not sent when passengers board the plane!”
Some mentioned other countries which have adopted the initiative.
Chien Cheng wrote on the ST’s Facebook page, “Dubai airport is a silent airport, they said themselves in a signboard there. No flight announcements, or boarding calls, to keep noise levels down, something to that effect. Ie be responsible for yourself!”
Saud Sultan wrote, “Copenhagen the first airport which implemented this a long time Changi for many first accolades. This is late.”
Kuiwant Soderbom wrote, “Heathrow airport don’t make announcements.
Long time ago just go check at the screen.”
Faizal Fowler wrote, “Just like Madrid Airport.”
