Going back to something someone said earlier regarding the hard-sell over the PA system. What's the deal with the crew of locos not knowing anything about the PA volume setting these days! There is after all a reason why there is an adjuster, which most non-locos are trained to use to compensate for cabin noise levels. These are obviously higher during climb out than say during taxiing. Is this not in their low cost training, or has the volume button been removed along with window-blinds, seat recline function etc??
Being fairly tall my ear is only ever a few inches from the overhead speakers, and even with fingers discretely in ears it is still loud. Minus fingers it is just disturbingly deafening!
Surely there must be a way of applying some EU directive or H&S standard on safe cabin dB levels. The source does not only have to be engine noise!