SFO’s ‘Quiet Policy’ Has Travelers Sounding Off

• San Francisco International Airport has rules to reduce noise in its terminals.
• The airport says its policy cuts unnecessary noise by 40 percent.
• The policy was first implemented in 2020.

A quiet policy is getting a loud reaction on social media.

Hundreds of travelers are sounding off in a Reddit thread about San Francisco International Airport (SFO)’s “Quiet Airport Policy.” Announced back in 2020, the policy is getting new attention in a United Airlines thread on Reddit. United operates a major hub from the SFO airport, providing context to the post, but does not manage the Reddit community, which is used by travelers to talk about the airline.

The “Quiet Airport Policy” doesn't mean that passengers need to treat the terminal as a library, as the goal is to reduce unnecessary noise from the airport as much as possible. The program limits music in retail environments and concourses, as well as ending all gate announcements for departing flights throughout the entire terminal. Under the policy, airlines make the boarding and departure announcements in the immediate boarding area, but the “final call” announcements are discontinued through the airport.

With these changes alone, SFO estimated there is a 40 percent decrease in unnecessary noise. The team also found that the unnecessary announcements added up to 90 minutes each day.

“I love the quiet airport policy at SFO,” one traveler wrote in the Reddit thread, which has hundreds of comments. “And with mobile apps and alerts, the constant announcements seem antiquated.”

The airport management team shared during the original announcement that an additional goal was to reduce the stress of the travel process through the noise changes. “The team will continue to focus on reducing sources of unwanted background noise, including items such as moving walkways and escalators,” SFO shared in a 2020 news release about the program.

A frequent flier who hadn’t flown through SFO in several years described their four-hour layover as “glorious” and that people seemed calmer and less rushed.

“How will I be reminded not to leave my baggage unattended?” another traveler joked in response to the frequent airport announcement.

The quiet policy isn't the only upgrade that passengers can expect at San Francisco International Airport. The airport recently opened the brand new Harvey Milk Terminal 1, which offers a variety of new dining options including Illy Caffe and Starbird. The airport also recently opened new airport lounges including the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Terminal 2 and the Alaska Airlines lounge in Terminal 1.