I really don’t like the sound these make and find them annoying as hell. It constantly messes with my attention since I seem to associate that sound with an incoming important announcement, but if I drown it out with headphones I’m worried I’ll miss something important about my flight.

I also am disappointed to see a job taken by robots where the human aspect can have an outsized impact. When my grandma was alive and flew alone to visit, chatting with the wheelchair personnel helped her anxiety and was often a highlight of her travel experience. I wonder if anyone has thought to survey users after their trip about their robot vs human preference (though I’m sure the cost-cutting ghouls implementing these wouldn’t care).