MasterGeek

It seems that in-flight safety announcement are getting longer and longer. First it was emergency procedures, then they added statements about the prohibition of smoking, then how to stow carry-on luggage and laptop, directives about the use of wireless feature in digital devices, then added stuff about headphones not allowed during take-off and landing.

When is long too long ? To me it is a symptom of a world in ever growing complexity. New rules are continually added to existing ones. In public transit buses and trains, public areas, workplaces, the number of stickers telling people how to behave is increasing.

When will this "trying to fit everyone" into same box ever stop ? When will many rules going to be considered to many ?

codyc1515

I'd tend to agree on this one. We need to ensure that in-flight safety announcements are simple and to the point. Anything else will result in pax being distracted and not paying attention to the full message. Some airlines also use these as just another way to market to customers.

chollie

+1

I should be able to 'opt out' of everything but the safety briefing.

Hello, airlines: the people who get stuck hearing this announcements the most are the people who are already flying frequently with you. Pity the poor elite who earns status on segments!

jkhuggins

No, it's not about a world of ever-growing complexity. It's a world of ever-growing inability to take personal responsibility for one's actions.

You know why you shouldn't put your electronics in the seat pocket in front of you? Because, in the case of an in-flight emergency, your device might fly out of the pocket and hit you. And then you'll sue the airline for injuring you because they provided you with a seat pocket but didn't tell you how to use it properly. So, they put a rule in place so that, if you try to sue them, the airlines can say "we told you not to do that, not our problem."

You know why you can't use earphones during takeoff and landing? Because, in the case of an in-flight emergency, you might not hear the instructions of the flight crew directing you to safety. And if you're injured as a result, you'll sue the airlines for allowing you to act in such an unsafe manner. So, another rule.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

It's the same reason why when you buy a toaster, it comes with an instruction manual that has one page telling you how to make toast and six pages with useful advice like "Do not use toaster in bathtub."

satman40

They are just CYA, every one wants a beer garden summit, and the police has been getting kicked ever since.

Loren Pechtel

I'd like to see the FAA step in here--ban all forms of advertising in the safety videos.

Boggie Dog

That seems reasonable. But, they will find a way to do it anyhow like before the briefing. The airlines have a captive audience and knows it. Move it to the gate areas or something worse. Would be like the incessant TSA announcements in most terminals I have been in, ad nauseam.

codyc1515

I'm surprised that the exact definitions of the safety announcements, or videos as they may be, are not specified by the FAA or local equivalent.

Boggie Dog

The FAA only specifies required minimum content of the required safety briefing.

Loren Pechtel

I understand the captive audience bit but they shouldn't be allowed to embed ads in mandatory material. It's a safety hazard--people see the advertising and tune it out.

Boggie Dog

I don't disagree with that point but believe that the airlines would find some other means to subject its customers to their message, even if you choose to tune it out.

Loren Pechtel

Yeah, there's no stopping them from pushing their message. I'm just saying it should be separated from the safety briefing.

Geetikasingh

I understand and I agree,safety is compulsory, but many people does not follow it.

cbn42

In addition, I think that material that is too basic should be removed, such as how to fasten a seatbelt. Perhaps there was a time when the general public didn't know how to do so, but that time has long passed. Every safety video starts with this, which immediately causes people to think "this is stupid" and tune out.

The video should focus on the essentials: brace position, how to use oxygen mask, and location of emergency exits.

flyerCO

The FAA only gets to set the things that must be explained. To set the actual content or prohibit any advertising, etc would violate 1st amendment. Unless they could show there was 1)a safety need, 2)no other way to accomplish this, and 3)the restrictions are the min. needed. Not an easy hurdle for a government body to accomplish.