Those safety demonstrations

[drewbles]

I don't know about everyone else, but I really do pay attention to all safety briefings to the point that even if I'm engaged in light conversation with someone, I will usually stop them and tell them I want to listen to the briefing.

Even if I'm extremely tired and all I really want to do is sleep, I will try to stay awake for the safety briefing if nothing else.

I still locate my two nearest emergency exits (and how to open them if I have to). I still note where the oxygen masks will pop down from and visualise how I will react when they do. I still test whether I can reach the seat in front of me and then mentally note how to assume the correct brace position. I still feel where my life jacket is.

Too extreme? I think not.

My first flight on a Fairchild Metroliner 23 in August 2008 was a novelty. Here the phrase "subtly, every aircraft is different" is way off the mark - the differences in safety procedures from any aircraft I had flown before - jet or turboprop - to the Metroliner was anything but subtle.

Seriously, FAs do not demonstrate the safety procedures just because the law says so, or for kicks and shiggles. I think we have to respect that.

I appreciate that the safety demo is an extremely important part of the flight, that's for sure. And if i'm not flying on a QF 747/737/330/717, a JQ 320/330, An AA 737/MD80, an AS 737, i'll pay full attention. I know the demo run-throughs by heart for all these airlines/aircraft types. In the case of AA and AS i'll pay attention if it's been a long time since i've been on one of their aircraft.

The more I fly the more I become aware of how important safety is, so i'm well prepared in the event of an unlikely emergency.

 

[serfty]

... The more I fly the more I become aware of how important safety is, so i'm well prepared in the event of an unlikely emergency.

I endeaver to pay attention each time and every time the safety briefing is played.

After the first 50 or so time of seeing the video (way back in 1995) I stopped watching it as I knew it all.

About 250 flights later I was watching it for some reason whereupon I realised with a slight shock I had forgotten some parts of it (like pulling the oxygen mask down to start the flow ...).

Since then I pay attention and have tried to ensure I have done this for the subsequent 700+ flights...

 

[Harry G]

well put serfty............

cabin crew do it for a reason and it is usually the know all prat at the front end of the aircraft who puts everyone elses lives including cabin crew at risk because he/she has no idea what to do in the vent of an emergency!

again, well put Mr Moderator!

put your hand up if you are flight/cabin crew!!

 

[tuapekastar]

I tend to watch every time, partly because I will/do forget bits and pieces, and partly out of respect for the CC who are performing the demos. They're (to praphrase Captain Whatsit who appears on the video) "here for our safety", so I figure it doesn't hurt to at least be watching, even if it's not sinking in some of the time.

 

[milehighclub]

put your hand up if you are flight/cabin crew!!

You pressed a call bell?

 

[Harry G]

that would be L2?

 

[under the radar]

and we do appreciate those pax that give us our full attention
door disarmed / pin inserted!!

 

[drewbles]

and we do appreciate those pax that give us our full attention
door disarmed / pin inserted!!

"Cabin Crew, Arm Doors and Cross Dress"?


(Oh how I miss the old AN captains with a brilliant subtle sense of humour, right up there with some FA's offering "Headsex sir? anyone for headsex?")

 

[purplegez]

The thing I love is the overwing exit talk. It's not scripted and it shows. The best one I had was an FA finish with "Don't worry, we're not planning for anything to go wrong". All I could think was "Gee, I'm glad your not planning on crashing the plane".

This comment just reminded me of a time when I was seated in the row behind some young women in the exit row, they had been given the briefing and all agreed that they understood what they were required to do in an emergency.


For the next four hours (MEL-PER) they were plied with copious amounts of alcohol and they got more and more excitable (loud).



I now wonder:

• how capable they would have been of carrying out their instructions in the case of an emergency?

• if there any rules (Qantas) about how much alchol can be served to people in the exit rows?

 

[harvyk]

For the next four hours (MEL-PER) they were plied with copious amounts of alcohol and they got more and more excitable (loud).



I now wonder:

• how capable they would have been of carrying out their instructions in the case of an emergency?

• if there any rules (Qantas) about how much alchol can be served to people in the exit rows?

1. Probably not very...

2. I doubt there are any specifically for exit rows, but RSA rules would still apply...

 

[jb747]

He is a real Captain (A380). And he's none of the names that have been mentioned.

For a while when doing my initial pa, I used to ask people to listen carefully to the safety briefing, because I might come back later and ask questions.

Those who don't listen are the ones who will be complaining that 'their oxygen masks' didn't work.

I hated the previous briefings. They were pretentious, and full of gibberish made up 'pilot speak'. The current one might be boring, but it clearly covers all of the points that you need to know.

 

[chanteuse]

There was an article in the Good Weekend a couple of years back that suggested that if you watched the safety demonstration intently, what to do would be in your mind and in case of emergency, your brain would know what to do.

I took this to heart and ever since have paid great attention to safety demonstrations.

Bit sad that they don't do the 'subtly' any more. Or is this only on some aircraft?

 

[anat0l]

Bit sad that they don't do the 'subtly' any more. Or is this only on some aircraft?

JQ still have the previous QF safety demonstration, which uses this word.

I think it was good to get rid of the word. It didn't really add much to the meaning of where it was placed, and you'd be lucky if there is a double-digit percentage of the Australian population that actually know what the word means.

 

[chanteuse]

Thanks - interesting to know.

I always found it hilarious - probably far more appropriate use of the word on JQ.

A very subtle difference QF - between a dash 8 and a 747.

 

[anat0l]

A very subtle difference QF - between a dash 8 and a 747.

Thankfully, QF used a different dialogue on the safety demonstration audio recordings that were played on Dash 8s. They did not use the word 'subtly'.

 

[jb747]

I think it was meant to point out to those who are regulars, that not all 737s, 767s, or 747s are the same. At the moment the A380s are (mostly), but that will change too.

Take the 767 for example...there is a very big difference between the door configuration of the RR engined aircraft and the others.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

If pax choose to ignore your safety demo, well that's their choice - you can't force them to listen.

What is really frustrating is when pax talk to one another which is not only distracting for other pax who do want to hear the briefing but distracting for the f/a giving the demo. :evil:

You're more likely to say something blonde like "in preparation for departure please ensure your flight attendant is in the upright position .....".

Have previously gone up to a couple of young punks who were ingrossed in conversation and asked them if they'd understood the demo & kindly asked them to reconfirm what they needed to do in an emergency. Fortunately they did but I wanted to get the point across that safety briefings apply to everyone not just a select few.

Of course if you've got a bunch of people on board who've been away for 6-8 months the most important thing to them is what bar they're going to visit when they get back to Oz.

 

[tuppaware]

I remember on a SYD-BNE flight one guy talked during the safety briefing - he was seated in an exit row, she moved him when we levelled out. Moved him right down the back next to crying babies !

 

[notzac]

You're more likely to say something blonde like "in preparation for departure please ensure your flight attendant is in the upright position .....".

Voice of experience speaking there?