Originally Posted by
MFCC
It's done to specific CAA/EASA requirements. I assume the FAA does the same in the US. Things like fastening and unfastening belts have to be included - BA has no choice in the matter.
I assumed that might be the case. But times change, and procedures need to change too: today's passengers are a lot more likely to have flown many times before, and they also have far more things competing for their attention when they should be watching the safety demo. Most passengers seem to use the time to check and update their social media one last time before becoming airborne, which probably wasn't a thing when the CAA drew up its guidelines.