South African Airports Getting Quieter

March 2018 - Domestic passengers at Cape Town International Airport will be given the "silent treatment" as South Africa's largest and busiest airports adopt the international trend of "Silent Airports".

This announcement comes after OR Tambo International Airport informed passengers in November 2017 that the public-address microphones at domestic and international departures will be switched off, with limited announcements at gates for international passengers.

Many international airports have already adopted a "silent airport" philosophy to improve ambiance and reduce complaints about the number and frequency of calls for passengers to board their flights.

The only instances where terminal announcements will be made will be for irregular operations such as gate changes, flight time changes‚ security concerns‚ system failures and customer service anomalies.

According to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), standard operating procedures for most domestic flights require passengers to begin boarding 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time, while international travellers should begin boarding an hour before their departure time.

"Passengers will be advised to check their boarding passes and the flight information display boards for boarding times, gates and any other changes," says Deidre Davids, Spokesperson for Cape Town International Airport.

Source: Fin24, Sunday Times, Times LIVE