I always appreciated it when the pilot tells us during his initial announcement the route we'll be following with any waypoints of interest. Because of the sleeping in flight thing, it might be helpful to add at that time how long into the flight we'd be seeing those waypoints, then the reminder when we're over them could be shorter.

A very long time ago, before frequent flier clubs existed, I briefly lived in Cleveland, and would travel home to NYC on the weekends. On the particular UA evening flight I would always take on Friday nights it was almost always the same pilot. During his descent announcement, made as we were flying over Newark, he would add just before the "thanks for flying UA" - "and as you look at all the lights down below, remember that every one of those lightbulbs was screwed in by hand." A little strange, but oddly compelling at the same time.

Would you prefer we just shut up so you can sleep?
Yes on the redeyes for sure. ;)

Do you like additional announcements?
Yes because I usually am in an aisle seat and if there is noteworthy scenery announced then my seatmate(s) won't be upset if I crane to look out the window! Otherwise I keep my eyes on my book/magazine/laptop.

Other things I like:

Humorous announcements, as long as they're not cheesy (copied from WN ;))

When pilots and flight attendants talk to us (when welcome / appropriate), and "personalize" the flight experience. It's cool to know a little bit about who is working on and flying the plane. (No it doesn't have to be a life story, but little tidbits like where they are based, how long with CO.)

When CO employees thank us for our business and really appear to mean it. That little acknowledgment warms my heart and keeps me flying...

Proactive service - e.g. if I've wrapped my pashmina around my head three times and I'm shivering (srsly, this happens a lot), I must be cold! I love it when the flight attendant notices and offers a blanket.

When a CO employee or exec is a pax on a flight and they are "on." (Like Larry a few weeks back, spent almost the whole flight talking to the crew, front and back. I've also had the opportunity to sit next to pilots, managers, gate agents, flight attendants, and they all impressed me with their longevity with the company and their loyalty to CO.)

What I don't like is:

When pilots mumble on the PA. It's hard enough to hear when they enunciate clearly (take a diction lesson from Chavon)! It's almost worse to have a mumbled announcement than no announcement at all.

When flight attendants yank a sleeping pax's seat forward - just touch them on the arm to wake them up and let them do it themselves. If they don't respond, repeat until they wake up.

When flight attendants ignore their pax and congregate in the galley and talk for most of the flight (rare but it does happen).

When I am treated as an annoyance by a flight attendant. This happened to me yesterday, the FA rolled her eyes when I commented on (NOT complained about) the temperature in the cabin. You know what? I'm not a diva pax, you don't have to warm up the whole cabin for me. I know you're working, and working hard so maybe if I had a blanket I wouldn't be so cold...

That's all that comes to mind at the moment!

And then decide to call TSA because you are obviously a suspicious character, whereupon you will be removed from the aircraft, body cavity searched, quizzed on your sympathies for Islam, and your PDA will be taken apart into 1,000 pieces, each of which will be individually sniffed and its liquid content determined. Your shoes will lose their soles.

When you turn out to be clean, to make up for your troubles, you'll be granted a middle seat in coach on the next flight leaving for your destination, in 8 hours.

Well, this part didn't happen, but the rest of my and sdm1130's post actually happened to me coming home from the Do. ;)

Something else to chip in that favors Ch. 9: there's a post in the UA thread about how a pilot invited the pax to turn on Ch.9, because there was some kind of long ground delay, and to pass the time, he was going to give some kind of impromptu aviation lecture and route it out of the PA and into 9. Lots of pax were very impressed that he would take the time.

I'm from the school that likes one long announcement on the ground with shorter bursts while airborne. Think how B6 does theirs. Good humor = ^. Waypoints/interesting window views: ^

Do you mean the "the smoking section is out on the wing, with a special showing of gone with the wind" announcements? Yeah, that is classic.:rolleyes:

Back in the day before IFE it seemed the Capts. spoke a lot more as we would fly cross country. I had one Chatty Cappy that gave us an entire commentary on a flt from EWR-LAX. I found it fascinating.

I also love Channel 9 on UA. I will listen to that thru the entire flt. I wish CO had it.

I have had several UA Capt. come back to the F cabin and say thanks for flying and one who gave his business cards to everybody in F with a note of Thanks. Thought that was cool.

I agree on Red-Eyes everybody should shut up...

LOL

Actually, a memo was put out in the last few months (I, of course, cannot find it, but I promise this is true) that, while, selling headsets on the ground is not OK, showing the preview is.

This is especially helpful on hit or miss flights, where showing the preview on the ground vs. the air makes the difference as to whether or not they get the scheduled movie or Continental Vision.

Shortly after 9/11, I was on a flight and the pilot came back and told the passengers that if you see anyone acting in a threatening way that might endanger the flight or crew, be my guest and don't hesitate to remedy the situation by whatever means you need to.
The French were less subtle, they had machine guns and dogs in the jetway as we boarded.

Cool stories on both counts.

On the EWR-SFO trip (and possibly others)...
 

....please tell us when we are going over the Grand Canyon.....

Or not. Have to agree with DesertFlyer who said: Not at all. If I wanted a guided tour, I'd travel by hot air balloon..

I feel that the announcements made from the cockpit today is exactly what's needed and appreciated. I love getting updates when we get delays (if at all possible).

On intercontinental flights, I love it when the Pilots take a walk around the plane to chat.

Hahah. That's hilarious.

I prefer hot air balloon too, as I like to spot :rolleyes: crop circles.

I had a pilot make an announcement to the effect of "those of you sitting on the right side of the aircraft will get a great view of Niagara Falls. And on the left, you'll see the Grand Canyon."

I'd say 90% of the plane began looking out the windows. :rolleyes: