Boarding Music? How does it make you feel?
Jun 21, 2016, 3:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 10
Boarding Music? How does it make you feel?
Hello all, this is my first post and i am interested in finding out how boarding music affects you. I have traveled on various airlines, to undertake research on what music different airlines play. For example, Air Asia play pop music during boarding and landing, while Cathay Pacific, EVA air play classical and British Airways don't play any, all with different marketing targets.
But how does the boarding music actually make you feel when you sit down? Does it calm you down? Do you actually notice it? Does volume play a part in the way its received? Any other feedback would be great!
But how does the boarding music actually make you feel when you sit down? Does it calm you down? Do you actually notice it? Does volume play a part in the way its received? Any other feedback would be great!
Jun 21, 2016, 4:19 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Otherwise I like if they put some thought to it like LH and SAS sometimes plays songs which relate to the destination like San Francisco by Scott McKenzie, Barcelon by Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé or One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head. That kind of raises my mood and makes we go there - now!
But that seems to be more like a personal thing from some flights crews rather than a "program" or policy.
btw. welcome to FT!
Jun 21, 2016, 4:41 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: US Gold
Posts: 627
I notice. I HATE it. I put on headphones to block it out. US Airways in particular had a very repetitive track it played - a sort of aggressive corporate blandness that made me want to scream. I do not understand why people think silence has to be filled.
There is only one exception to my dislike of incessant background music-like noise, and that's the soundtrack at Penn Station in NYC. I saw an interview with the sound designer, and she explained that the music she'd chosen was deliberately intended to try to make the place calmer and more pleasant. I think it's Pachelbel and some other classics. It actually works - but in a place like Grand Central you don't need a soundtrack because the architecture does it all for you. I'd like more of *that*, please.
wg
There is only one exception to my dislike of incessant background music-like noise, and that's the soundtrack at Penn Station in NYC. I saw an interview with the sound designer, and she explained that the music she'd chosen was deliberately intended to try to make the place calmer and more pleasant. I think it's Pachelbel and some other classics. It actually works - but in a place like Grand Central you don't need a soundtrack because the architecture does it all for you. I'd like more of *that*, please.
wg
Jun 21, 2016, 7:52 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
I don't have much experience with non-US airlines. From what I have experienced, personally I like having music in the background, BUT I think airlines really need to put more thought into it. It seems like most airlines pick random music. I think they should try to create a mood. Virgin did better with this at one point.
Jun 21, 2016, 3:13 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MAN
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 220
It makes me anxious, which, I imagine, is the polar opposite of the intended effect.
Think about it... put lots of people in a confined space, give them very little room to move, no control over their environment, some of them will be nervous flyers... I know, let's play muzak at them! Who came up with this idea? The psyops department? Imbeciles!
I was rather dismayed to find that Cathay continued playing it until the aircraft was in the cruise. Arrrgh!
Silence is under-rated.
Think about it... put lots of people in a confined space, give them very little room to move, no control over their environment, some of them will be nervous flyers... I know, let's play muzak at them! Who came up with this idea? The psyops department? Imbeciles!
I was rather dismayed to find that Cathay continued playing it until the aircraft was in the cruise. Arrrgh!
Silence is under-rated.
Jun 21, 2016, 5:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: PHX & PPT
Programs: DL PM, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, AmExPlat
Posts: 833
I love when Air Tahiti Nui plays Tahitian music and Hawaiian Airlines plays Hawaiian music during boarding to those destinations. It gives the traveler the feeling that their tropical vacation has already started...
Jun 21, 2016, 7:08 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 77
There is music playing upon boarding? LOL I honestly have not even noticed and I've flown quite a bit this year so far both domestically and internationally. I have a flight coming up in two weeks, I'll make a mental note to listen for the music.
Jun 21, 2016, 8:16 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, BA Silver, AC, AF/KL, AV, VS | Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 459
I actually like it when there's something like a customized playlist. Qantas plays (mostly, I think) Australian artists that I've never heard of and I end up looking for more of their works later on.
Jun 21, 2016, 8:33 pm
#13
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
worthlessizes it. It's disrespectful to the music and to the customers
as well. Worse than on the elevators and in the dentists' offices.
Jun 21, 2016, 8:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, VS Silver, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 134
I quite like it myself. Especially yesterday morning on BA CityJet DUB-LCY in 2A (classical music). I found it very soothing and comforting after having just flown a very full AA TATL CLT-DUB in Y. It brought me somewhat back to good.
Jun 22, 2016, 4:42 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: BA Gold, QF Platinum, SQ Silver
Posts: 286
This is the same effect it often has on me, especially when it doodles on during take off and landing. The latter makes it feel particularly eerie- I'm usually not a particularly nervous flyer but whenever I have to listen to awkward elevator-like music during landing I can't help imagining the plane crashing and that damn music going on. Maybe that's just me though!
