rumbataz

When you're on your travels, what sounds really get you annoyed?

For me it's these:

1. Someone in the queue standing behind you and almost touching you whilst talking loudly on his mobile phone to the point that you can feel his breath on your hair as he talks / someone sneezing or coughing behind you;

2. Those hideous wheeled suitcases that ought to be checked in but are dragged around the airport by frantic travellers who then let them slip from their grasp and the suitcase falls onto the ground and the handle makes a very loud, sharp slapping noise;

3. Constantly crying babies;

4. Passengers on board who have to talk loudly during the safety briefing;

5. Baggage carousel belt warning siren.

What are your most annoying sounds when travelling?

WorldLux

Constantly crying babies and seeing its parents don't care at all.

People trying to carefully open plastic bags (crisps, sandwich, etc...), but making more noise than if they had just opened the bag correctly in the first place.

Classic scenario: BA Lounge. Seemingly everyone helps themselves to a glass of wine and a bag of crisps in the afternoon. Instead of opening the bag of crisps correctly, they put a tiny hole in them and spend ages fishing a single crisp out of the bag. I find that noise horribly annoying.

ajeleonard

Every single FA announcement

backprop

The TSA announcements at the airport (at least my home airport, STL).

And the Beep! Beep! Beep! of the passenger golf cart, no matter if it's moving forward or in reverse.

jcp3rd

Ditto. One of the many "joys" of U.S. airports.

stut

Bellowing voices across the corridor at midnight as you're dropping off to sleep.

"YEAH, GREAT. I'LL SEE YOU AT BREAKFAST AT 7 THEN? 7:30? YEAH, THEN WE'LL TAKE A TAXI? BOOK ONE? GOOD IDEA, I'LL PHONE RECEPTION NOW. IT WAS A GOOD MEAL WASN'T IT? WASN'T JOHN FUNNY TONIGHT? BETTER GO THOUGH. DID WE SAY 7:30? YEAH, I THINK SO TOO. ALRIGHT THEN. OH, BY THE WAY, DID YOU HAVE THAT DOCUMENT READY FOR THE? YEAH, THAT ONE. WHAT? OH, I SEE. NO, THAT'S FINE, LET'S DISCUSS AT 7. OH NO, 7:30 HAHAHA."

And so on, and so forth.

Also, children (or worse, adults - happening more and more) with headphoneless iPads turned up full blast. Yes, I'm sure it keeps them entertained, but it's hardly the only way...

Badenoch

The most annoying sound is the PA announcement that your flight is cancelled. Second place is the FA announcement that your aircraft needs to return to the gate. Third place is that your flight is delayed.

Loud talkers, crying babies, beeping passenger carts, etc. are just part of the environment that comes with public transit.

pinniped

Cell-phone talkers.

Today's teenagers have it right: just freaking text and be done with it.

United_727

Captains of Industry who check in with the office as soon as phone calls are allowed.

You want to go where?

People complaining about annoying noises in a public space.

rumbataz

The "I'm on the plane..." telephone call.

wrp96

People watching videos or listening to music without using headphones.

Peoriaman1

If I get a chatty person seated next to me... WHATEVER they say is the most annoying sound on earth. I don't make small talk on planes but I don't want to pretend to be asleep to avoid it either. Let me read in peace.

rumbataz

Kind of related: passengers who shout to their friends seated several rows away on a plane for much of the flight.

Duke787

+1000. If I'm traveling by myself, the Bose usually go on before I even get on the plane.

I made the mistake once a few years ago of forgetting to do that on 8pm US Airways flight CLT - ORD. Sat next to someone who saw the name of my consulting firm on the laptop case I had (I've since also learned to not use branded backpacks / laptop cases / etc. while traveling) and wanted to talk to me for the entire flight about it.

What made it worse was that I had a hot pizza I'd picked up during the layover but the way the conversation was going it seemed like eating the pizza would be rude so I didn't get to eat it until we were almost in Chicago and it was cold. Since then, Bose go on immediately.