Frankfurt Airport has begun testing Auracast broadcast audio at two departure gates, which sends all gate announcements directly to passengers’ own hearing aids, earbuds and smartphones.
The pilot, now live at gates A16 and A17 in Terminal 1, marks a significant step toward reducing travel stress and improving accessibility for passengers, particularly the almost one in five people – that’s more than 1.5 billion globally – who live with hearing loss.
Instead of straining to hear loudspeaker messages over background noise, passengers can listen clearly through their hearing aids, headphones or smartphones, much like taking a phone call or streaming music.
Over the next couple of months, project partners will collect feedback from passengers and airport staff to assess the impact of the technology on accessibility, comfort and the overall passenger experience.
The trial is part of a Distr@l-funded digital accessibility initiative. Distr@l is a public funding programme that supports innovative digital projects and collaboration between research and industry.
Supporting hearing accessibility
Auracast broadcast audio enables passengers with Auracast-compatible hearing aids, earbuds, headphones and assistive listening devices to receive gate announcements via supported smartphones. For travellers with hearing loss, who often struggle to hear traditional loudspeaker announcements in busy terminals, this offers improved clarity and confidence.
The technology also supports “silent airport” concepts, where frequent loudspeaker announcements are replaced with direct, personalised updates.
Passengers can receive boarding calls, gate changes or delay notifications straight to their own devices, including selected smartphones from partners such as Pixel and Samsung, or via apps supporting Auracast-enabled GN hearing devices. The result is a quieter terminal environment without compromising access to essential information.
If successful, the Frankfurt trial could pave the way for wider adoption of Auracast broadcast audio across airports worldwide.
