The automated "Fasten your seat belts" announcement has changed!
Sep 20, 2017, 1:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: LAX IAH AMS
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The automated "Fasten your seat belts" announcement has changed!
Noticed this on my last 2 PMCO 777 flights last week over the pond.
The former obnoxious "Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign, please return to your seats blah blah blah blah blah" -- always followed by an FA saying the exact same thing.
Now, in a softer male voice, the automated message just says, "Please fasten your seat belts." Still followed up by an FA announcement.
For how often UA (and US airlines) turn on the seat belt sign, this is a good thing!
The former obnoxious "Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign, please return to your seats blah blah blah blah blah" -- always followed by an FA saying the exact same thing.
Now, in a softer male voice, the automated message just says, "Please fasten your seat belts." Still followed up by an FA announcement.
For how often UA (and US airlines) turn on the seat belt sign, this is a good thing!
Sep 20, 2017, 3:14 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 574
Also noticed on a PS 752 and a 744 this weekend. I think they've unveiled systemwide. Very pleasant change -- the first time I heard it, the voice was so soft that I presumed the automaton was down and the pilot was substituting his own voice 
Sep 20, 2017, 3:49 am
#4
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,098
787 i just got off has the same way too long message
Sep 20, 2017, 7:51 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I swear, I have nightmares being woken up to this if I happen to doze off with headphones on...
Ladies and gentlemen. The captain has turned on the fasten seatbelt sign. Please return to your seats, and fasten your seatbelts.
.
.
.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen. The captain has turned on the fasten seatbelt sign. Please return to your seats, and fasten your seatbelts.
.
.
.
Thank you.
Sep 20, 2017, 8:13 am
#7
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Sep 20, 2017, 9:35 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2016
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Sadly I do recall it happening several times. I rarely fly the 744 (ex-SFO I tend to take the later 772 to LHR or connect in IAH/ORD), so I didn't notice that prior 744 flights didn't have the automated voice. I found this one pretty inoffensive on both my PS flight and the 744 though.
Sep 20, 2017, 9:40 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Same. While I appreciate the flight deck being proactive and not simply leaving the fasten seat belt sign on for the entire flight, I'd rather be able to sleep during an overnight flight, sans announcement.
Sep 20, 2017, 9:42 am
#11
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Purely a CO thing. I believe they put it in with the updated electronics when they converted the sUA 752s to 28J, and the recent deliveries (787s and 77W) also have it.
Sep 20, 2017, 10:32 am
#12
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Sep 20, 2017, 1:54 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 397
This is good news, considering that SOP for UA seems to be to put the seatbelt sign on whenever there is the slightest hint of the plane moving in any other direction than strictly forward. On any given flight, this DING - LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE CAPTAIN... announcement causes people to wake up multiple times.
Meanwhile, most Rest-of-World carriers I've flown on seem to follow a policy of "turn seatbelt sign off at 10k feet and do not reengage until final approach, unless the plane is upside down"...
Meanwhile, most Rest-of-World carriers I've flown on seem to follow a policy of "turn seatbelt sign off at 10k feet and do not reengage until final approach, unless the plane is upside down"...
Sep 20, 2017, 2:19 pm
#14
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....
The former obnoxious "Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign, please return to your seats blah blah blah blah blah" -- always followed by an FA saying the exact same thing.
Now, in a softer male voice, the automated message just says, "Please fasten your seat belts." Still followed up by an FA announcement.
....
The former obnoxious "Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign, please return to your seats blah blah blah blah blah" -- always followed by an FA saying the exact same thing.
Now, in a softer male voice, the automated message just says, "Please fasten your seat belts." Still followed up by an FA announcement.
....
Typical United.