No boarding call in the Qantas Club.

[YPJT]

Qantas trials 'silent airport lounges' without boarding calls - Australian Business Traveller (http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-trials-silent-airport-lounges-without-boarding-calls)

So now instead of boarding calls there will just be a continuous stream of "Qantas paging Mr / Mrs ___________, please proceed immediately to gate _____ as your aircraft is awaiting departure and you are the last passenger to board".

Will be even worse in the Perth lounge with the plethora of bogan FIFOs filling up on their free Crown larger before the flight.

[ExXB]

At Bristol airport they have taken out most of the screens and have stoped announcing gates.

What are they thinking ...

[pithblot]

Jandakot
I sympathise, but imagine if Virgin followed suit then lounge "guests" would have to put up with that airlines broken English....
"Blogs please make your IMMEDIATE WAY to..."

[HeartyMeatballs]

BRS is just a shopping centre with a runway attached now. Who needs to know what gate you're departing from when there's better things to do, like shopping and spending in the bars and restaurants? There's still not enough seats, security is still horrendously overcrowded.

I do prefer it now without the automated voice saying "ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting, we would now like to invite......" constantly.

I feel for those unfamiliar with the place departing from stands 29-30. Once clear of security you then turn left and walk the length of the terminal (passing the mediocre selection of shops), then go up the steps, then double back on yourself walking the length of the terminal to get to the pier, then a 350m walk to the standing room only gates. And this is after you've already trailed through the shop after security.

NCL seems to be going the same way seemingly. I felt like I was in an IKEA store the way you're snaked through the shop after security.

[ZFT]

I much prefer silent lounges. it isn't that difficult to check on the screen for departure times.
Even better when they ban mobile phone use too. I have no interest in listening to someone else’s boring conversation, inevitably shouted as loudly as possible!

[PAXboy]

HeartyMeatballs
BRS is just a shopping centre with a runway attached now. Who needs to know what gate you're departing from when there's better things to do, like shopping and spending in the bars and restaurants? There's still not enough seats, security is still horrendously overcrowded.
Then you'd feel right at home at LTN. :rolleyes:

[Alsacienne]

............ and STN :ok:

[Hotel Tango]

....and every other airport in Europe!!!

[ExXB]

At BRS there are two screens upstairs, they've taken out all the other ones including those in the bars. Big scrum around both small screens.

Why can't the just tell you the gate when you check in? They must know days in advance, not just 40 minutes before.

[edi_local]

ExXB

In a lot of UK airports that isn't the case. The gates, unless dedicated for certain airlines, are usually only allocated when the aircraft is on it's approach.

Simply put I think the airport authorities themselves probably discourage too much advanced announcement of the gates as they want you wandering aimlessly spending your money in the shops and bars for as long as possible.

This seems to be a UK thing (are you surprised?) as I'm sure you're familiar with ZRH/GVA, they seem to advertise the gates very far in advance (or always have when I've been there). In the US, airlines at least tell you the specific pier or general area the flight will go from as the terminals are usually organised by carrier.

[PAXboy]

I have said before that UK airports now like to use small flat panel monitors for flight details - rather than the large ones. These are cheap to buy and have standard interfaces. BUT you have to stand very close to them to read them. :mad:

The old 'flip-flap' boards had high letters and could be read from 20 or 30m but these small screens require you to get 1 or 2 m away. This produces the bunching.

The last time I went through MUC, they had sorted out the SMS of gate details but I would not trust any Brit airport to get this right. I am considering taking binoculars next time, so (if) I find one of the few chairs, I can read the board.

One of the reasons I use paid for lounges is that they generally have good display panels, although they don't announce either. They used to do this but I guess that irate pax missing a flight because a call was not made - would have put paid to that.

Unfortunately, UK train stations have also gone over to small display screens and I can only see money saving as the cause.

[ExXB]

edi local,
OK, if I accept your premis (which makes me wonder why Swiss airports know a day in advance) then 'on approach' of the arriving aircraft is more than 40 minutes before the departing flight.

The airports are mistaken if they think it gets me to spend, spend, spend in their shops. Let!s face it Duty Free no longer exists and there are NO bargains airside shopping.

Dixons' at LGW quoted me a price for an iPad higer than the apple.co.uk website (which included 20% VAT) when travelling outside the EU.

Airport shops are for suckers.