revv

Please help me understand why airlines have the need to overuse the PA system.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the excess of communication using this system and what it is you really need to know.

Captain, I don't care to be woken up by your status update. Just get me there safe and on time. I'm more than thankful if we can achieve that.

Captain, I don't care if we begun our descent. I can feel it happening. Also I have this nice screen that gives me flight path, altitude, etc. I can see that we're getting close. I can sleep for another solid 30 minutes if I want to...

Stewardess, I can hear the chime and see that the seatbelt sign has been turned on. I don't need to hear about it in two different languages every time the sign comes on.

Stewardess, I do not care if the duty free shop is opening/closing. If I wanted to buy something, I would already have. Close it; it is fine. Don't wake me up just to tell me your store is closing.

Has anyone else noticed the overuse of the PA system lately or is it just me?

SBR249

Get a pair of noise isolating earbuds, put on some white noise, make sure your seatbelt is visibly fastened, go to sleep. Problem solved. Flight attendants will wake you when it's time to return your seat and tray table to landing positions.

Zorak

IME maybe one out of N captains is really chatty but generally I haven't noticed this being a problem..

Again IME they tend to limit announcements to the beginning or end of the flight.

If you're sleeping, then you haven't noticed the descent, and aren't looking at the screen. Even if you're awake, while *you* may be very observant and constantly paying attention to the flight map, not everyone else around you is.

Again, you might not, but plenty of people don't pay attention.

This is about the only one on which I fully agree with you

WPJBPJ

Doc Savage

If you've been reading the news, you know some pax need the warning before landing so they can use the lav in time.

etch5895

Without it, how would I know about this awesome credit card offer with its 79% APR?

dinanm3atl

The only one I actually find annoying is the we have received 10K feet and they come on and thank everyone for flying, thank the status flyers and let them know a bunch of random info not needed.

I do have BOSE headphones and 50/50 if I just have them on noise canceling or I put on some background noise via IFE. If you are on the IFE the announcements are VERY loud and wake me up. Doesn't last long and I go back to sleep.

Annalisa12

I had an incident on a recent flight where my tummy was upset and we were on our descent. The fear of seeing the toilets blocked off with some kind of tape thing on the lock was horrid. I thought..."I'm not going to make it". I wondered at what point would I have to start begging.

I feel their pain!!!

P.S. I made it.

Annalisa12

Only things I like hearing are "folks... look like we will be arriving there early"

StuckInYYZ

There's your problem...In every statement you made, the second word was I...

You might not care about the status of your flight, but others may (eg, those that have ongoing flights or people waiting for them)

You might not care about getting ready for the approach, but others will (eg, parents of babies, nervous flyers)

You might not care about the seatbelt light, but not everyone is familiar or paying attention.

You don't care about the duty free, but others do.

Remember, you're flying in a giant tube with others who may not share your desire to sleep. As others have mentioned, you are welcome to put on noise cancelling headphones (and they are right...do not hook them up to the IFE unless you want a heart attack). You can also charter a private flight... that would guarantee you wouldn't be disturbed. Otherwise you will have to make due with the flight crew making announcements...

enviroian

Quickly followed by "and because we are early our gate is occupied."

GuyverII

Or scratch cards where you can win 1,000,000 Euros!

Nice noise cancelling headphones are just awesome.

trooper

Interesting...given we ALSO get comments on FT about how the "Captain didn't talk to us"...

Cant make everybody happy.....

iluv2fly

Stewardess?

WorldLux

Not everybody is a frequent flyer and some passenger apparently need to be guided through every step of air travel. I don't mind the PA usage. Usually the sound quality is so poor that couldn't guess what they are saying.

FR is the exception. So many announcement. "*drum roll* ANOTHER RYANAIR FLIGHT ON TIME!" "BUY THIS. NOW 2 FOR 1" etc.

LarryJ

At least for US airlines, an announcement each time the seatbelt sign is turned on is required by regulation.

Other than required announcements, I favor short, informative announcements which avoid platitudes like "sit back, relax", etc.