On a serious note...announcements to the pax do deserve a bit of attention. As the pax will not have seen the flight crew, all they know of you is what they hear over the PA. They don't want to feel they are at the mercy of clowns or people not interested in those for whom they are responsible.
They are in your hands and will hang on your very word. Without being stuffy or "scripted", just tell them what they want to know in a normal, conversational voice. They want to know how high, how long, and what the weather is at the destination.
When something unusual happens, get to them as more important duties allow. Again, no plastic scripts or other phoney FOM announcements. Tell them what has happened, what you know about what has happened, and what you intend to do about it, and in a timely manner. Nothing makes them madder than being left hanging with no information.
NEVER lie to them or try to sugar coat the situation; nothing works like the truth. All they want is information and they can live with some pretty negative information as long as they don't sense they are being BS'd...and they expect airlines to lie to them...don't be a part of that. Your paycheck originates in their pocket.
A few years ago, I didn't catch an incorrect pickup time on a hotel crew sign-in sheet and delayed a flight because I didn't get to the airport in time. On the PA, I admitted responsibility for the entire event and took full responsibility for the delay saying that I had been doing for this far too long to have made such a "rooky" mistake. No one was upset.
Nothing works like the truth, delivered in a timely manner.
Last edited by bafanguy; 18th Dec 2005 at 22:10.