stowaway

I've been wondering about this for some time now but never remember to post. The female voice doing the announcements in T5 always sounds "foreign" to my Dutch ears i.e. not native English (especially with certain words). For some reason she reminds me of someone Dutch/ Scandinavian doing their best to sound English... Is that just me? Does anyone know who she is?

Incidentally I flicked through Highlife magazine today to see an article on BA art, which specifically named the Troika Could in T5 and how it moves which I thought was rather strange as it hasn't been running for some time now! (there was actually a thread here that said that the maintenance costs were too high which is why it has been stopped). Such a shame as it's an amazing thing.

FlyerTalker6245

"For security reasons, baggage left unattended will be removed and destroyed."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgLiyzDR4cE

slate

It's a very strange accent. I've often wondered about this too, but I can't place it.

Pyeinthesky

It's the same voice in many airports, common thread must be the supplier of the PA gear.

It is a very attractive, if undefinable, accent though...

LTN Phobia

Somewhat computer-altered, perhaps? There is something artificial-sounding about the accent.

vla

It's the Schiphol woman, slightly tweaked out. Some have called her Estuary English in the past, a friend once called her very Ipswich -- what would I know, I've been there once (no thonx).

Once Schiphol started drawing from the BAA "...or we will proceed to offload your luggage" I knew they started getting a little on the side with each other. This was a couple of years ago now. Tee hee tee hee.

markzz2

I think the voice is Dutch, but with a lovely English Twang.

I have noticed the same voice recently in Doha, and various other places so it must be a buyable system.... complete with voice!

I like her though..... clear, crisp and calming.

Jenbel

Whereas the lady is BRS has also got a gig in the new DEL airport

(Although I wish the talking cone with the south-west accent was available widely )

Dr Dave

The T5 accent really irritates me every time I pass through! Why choose someone who can't pronounce English words correctly? It seems to me to be a pretty poor show that the first English announcement that people hear when they arrive in the UK is spoken in such a strange way.

I think I'm turning into a grumpy old man...

Scots_Al

As others have said, it is definitely the Schiphol woman.

Quite an attractive voice I thought - at first. However, after spending some hours in AMS waiting for delayed flights, she does begin to grate, especially when she insists on repeating every codeshare airline ("the KLM, Air France, Alitialia, Northwest Airlines, and Air Kenya flight to London").

On the plus side, I think I'm probably now capable of announcing a gate change in Dutch "Atention alstublieft fur een gate icecream" (or something like that!)

Swanhunter

I don't like the voice that much, she sounds very strained and un-natural. However it is very easy to understand which I guess is the most important thing.

FenLandK

The chime before the announcement is very central European too. Generally heard in most airports and railway stations.

evanderm

That is an excellent transliteration of the Dutch if I say so myself. Well done. Here's the actual phrase: attentie alstublieft voor een gate wijziging.

Listening to her for a while can become rather annoying, however, my guess is that for people who don't have English as a first language she is neutral enough to understand easily. I never really gave it any thought at Amsterdam because I just thought It was a horrible Dutch accent.

Can anyone with English as a non-first language confirm my theorem.

Prospero

The voice at BAA's EDI is equally strained, un-natural and yet incomprehensible It is quite an achievement

HIDDY

They must be local then.