Public Address Madness at a Terminal Near You.

The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading only. There is no parking in the white zone.

I wear behind the ear aids. It helps, sometimes, to just pull the ends out and let them dangle until I get to "that". place. These are Bluetooth and have many selections from crowd to outdoors to etc. .etc. But or course all hope of understanding any verbiage, no matter how presented, is pretty much gone.

KTPA IS the most customer service oriented airport

Speech Intelligibility is the factor that must be improved through appropriate acoustic treatmetns and intelligent placement of speakers used for announcements.
Reducing unpleasant reverberations and controlling the reverberation time to keep it within the recommended range is critical in creating a pleasant acoustic environment, and this is all part and parcel with building what is termed by acoustics engineers "acoustic amenity".

These are all very standard components of building design and construction, but this sort of stuff really needs to be taken into account during the design phase and in coordination with all the other disciplines involved - there is a hell of a lot more involved in this science than most people realise. That being said, steps can be taken to improve the acoustic environment, even at existing terminals, although the effect may not be as all-encompasing as it would in a new design/build situation.

Aircraft acoustics is a specialised area, but still relies on certain basic issues and concepts.
I agree with your concept of improved low level acoustic coverage in echo-prone locations, where keeping the signal level within certain parameters that help reduce reverberation whilst still providing sufficient sound for good intelligibility.

Sadly, many places simply forget about acoustics and don't think about the very negative effects that bad acoustics have on people and their moods - often affecting sales in airport shopping areas, simply because it is downright unpleasant to be there.

I think it would be reasonable for the FAA to step in and prohibit using the flight attendants to hawk credit cards. The FAs are there for passenger safety. The passengers should be able to expect that communication from the FAs is related to that prime mission.

Great idea when you try to take a nap. no.

Total agreement. The ambient noise and chatter level in terminals is bad enough, but there and on the aircraft, announcements are made by people who do not seem to grasp that if people don't understand what you said, you just wasted your time saying it. Many announcers sound like: "AmericanAirlinesannouncesthattherewillbeagatechangeyourflightwillnowdepartfromgate43onconcourseE". Whaat? No spaces between words, no voice modulation, word endings elided, delivered at high speed, as if they just wanted to say they'd said it!

I feel the same about the legislature.

Vote for smaller government is something.

That's also part of the natural inclination of humans to disengage when there are many people about.

At least Bluetooth and in ears are a vast improvement over the giant boom boxes people used to carry around that folks could hear from two blocks away.

This still exists with the characters who obviously think we like the same music they do (and at the same time) as they blast their car sound systems through open windows.

Lack of consideration the child of narcissism lives on. :)

Yeup. There is nothing being spoken in an airport that is of any use to an air traveler. Between signage and phone apps, arrival/departure boards and following the crowds - almost anything being spoken over PA is absolutely useless.

No shite.

Ever listen to a democrat?

Even if you eliminate terminal PAs outright - it will have no positive net effect for these folks. To think it would is putting your head higher in the clouds than the aircraft. If not specialized transportation resources - then the only other realistic answer is private transpo. Turning large, public spaces completely upside-down for a less than 1% demographic accommodation is not only ridiculous, but also completely adverse to reality.

Yes, more government is always the answer ;).

Noise-cancelling headphones previously mentioned are very helpful.
We all are somewhere on a spectrum and even if one doesn't perceive the angst produced by the environment you describe, it nonetheless affects us all.

Most cities have only one commercial airport, and many of those have only one terminal. People who need/want to fly to or from these airports or terminals can’t choose a quieter alternative. Whether government-run or privately-run, that’s a monopoly situation where there’s no competitive advantage to be gained by putting a lid on the cacophony.

Thats because America allow people to sue (AND WIN) stupid lawsuits. We must cater to the dumbest of the dumb or they will whine and cry and sue and win.