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FRANKFURT, GERMANY – Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs, has started testing Auracast broadcast audio, a new Bluetooth® capability, at two gates, becoming the first airport in the world to send all gate announcements directly to passengers’ own hearing aids, earbuds, and smartphones. This marks an important step towards making air travel less stressful and more inclusive for everyone, especially the almost one in five—or more than 1.5 billion—people globally who live with hearing loss.
Auracast broadcast audio is a Bluetooth capability that turns public sound into a direct audio stream that people can tune into with their own devices. Instead of struggling to hear announcements over background noise, travelers can simply connect and listen as if they were taking a phone call or listening to music on their personal device.
The new solution has been installed at the gates A16 and A17 in Terminal 1. Over the next two months, the project partners will gather feedback from travelers and staff to evaluate how the technology affects 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 program from the German state of Hesse that supports innovative digital projects and collaboration between research and industry. The project is led by Sittig Technologies together with Fraport and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
Alexander Laukenmann, Senior EVP Aviation, Fraport AGAs the airport operator, we want our passengers to have a comfortable and relaxing stay at our terminals. By bringing clear, personalized announcements directly into passengers’ own hearing devices, we are offering another attractive service to our customers while at the same time taking an important step towards a more inclusive airport.
“Auracast fundamentally changes how announcements work in airports,” says Johannes Sittig, CEO US, Sittig Technologies. “We are proud to collaborate with Frankfurt Airport as a first mover, guided by a clear vision for a more inclusive, passenger-centric travel experience. Together, we’re transforming automated and manual gate announcements into a direct, personal audio service delivered straight to passengers’ own devices. By integrating Auracast into our PAXGuide announcement platform, we’re redefining airport communication without requiring airports to replace their existing infrastructure.”
With Auracast broadcast audio, passengers with Auracast compatible hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, as well as users of assistive listening devices, can receive gate announcements via their supported smartphones. This offers a new level of clarity and confidence for travelers with hearing loss, who often find it challenging to hear traditional loudspeaker announcements in busy terminals.
Auracast also supports “silent airport” concepts, where frequent loudspeaker announcements are replaced by direct personal updates. Passengers can receive important gate information—such as boarding calls, changes, or delays—straight to their own Auracast-enabled earbuds or headphones via a supported smartphone, including models from partners like Pixel and Samsung, or an app from an Auracast-enabled GN hearing device. This helps reduce noise in the terminal while keeping travelers fully informed.
Peter Justesen, President, GN Hearing DivisionFrankfurt Airport is setting a new standard for inclusive travel, and we are proud that GN can help make that possible. As the first company to introduce Auracast into hearing aids, we’re now bringing this innovation to travelers – giving passengers with hearing loss clearer access to gate information and a smoother, more confident journey. Our hope is that this pilot will inspire many more airports to embrace the next era of connected and accessible travel.
“We are proud to support Frankfurt Airport’s vision for a quieter, more accessible travel experience that benefits all passengers. This project demonstrates how Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio can deliver real, everyday benefits for users,” says JM Choi, Corporate Vice President and Head of Connectivity R&D, Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics. “Our industry-leading connectivity technology ensures a seamless, robust connection even in high-density airport environments, while significantly improving battery efficiency. By integrating Auracast across our devices, Samsung delivers a complete end-to-end experience, enhancing accessibility and confidence for travelers.”
Auracast transmitters are integrated directly into Sittig’s PAXModular IP paging stations—already installed at the gates in Frankfurt Airport. This allowed the airport to introduce Auracast broadcast audio without major rebuilding or additional hardware. At the same time, all automated announcements from Sittig’s PAXGuide system are broadcast through these transmitters, delivering manual and automated gate information straight to passengers’ smartphones, headphones, and hearing aids. This setup provides stable Auracast coverage today and makes future expansion simple.
The installation is supported by several leading technology partners, underscoring the strong industry backing for Auracast and its potential to improve accessibility in public spaces. Partners include GN, Google, Samsung, and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), all contributing solutions and expertise to enhance listening experiences in venues such as airports.
Source: GN
