Glasgow Airport 'soundscape' tested

Sound experts have been running tests at Glasgow Airport to see whether different noises have an impact on how much money passengers spend in shops.

A subtle soundtrack of birdsong and ambient music has been played in departure lounges to find out whether the noises make travellers splash out more on various goods.

It was found that passengers upped their spending by between three and ten per cent when the music was played, prompting plans to carry out more experiments in other airports.

Julian Treasure of consultancy The Sound Agency, the brains behind the study, claimed that travellers seemed to respond positively to the experiment.

"The effect on passengers was very profound. They enjoyed it. They found it restful," he said.

"But we did get one or two who were worried that there were birds in the building," he added.

Last year, airport operator BAA unveiled plans to invest £290 million in making Glasgow Airport a "world-class gateway".

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