Pre flight Safety Demonstration
I know this is a controversial area but as a major user of airline services (around 250 sectors a year) I have developed a bit of a loathing for these.
It doesn't take much intelligence to work out that much of it is patronising nonsense aimed at giving a false sense of security to perhaps more nervous passengers.
Reserved for my most cynical comments are:
the life vest under your seat...'in the event of a landing on water..' only seaplanes can pull this off. Ordinary planes don't land on water. If you hit water from any height you may as well be hitting concrete - you're fish food - period
The safety cards showing a picture of your plane floating nicely on a calm sea with detached slides floating gently away is a dishonest illusion - life cots for infants indeed!!
And why are we told how to fasten and unfasten a seat belt? How stupid do aircrew think we are? There may be a few sheep farmers in Mongolia who wouldn't have a clue how to work it out but for heaven's sake. Despite every British pilot's pleading in the 'pre flight welcome aboard' most people carry on reading the paper or talking and you wonder why.
There is however one very important piece of safety advice that everyone should listen to - and that is to note the nearest exit to your seat and mentally work out your escape route. Trouble is something of vital importance like that is lost in all the waffle that surrounds it.