Hey GTG,
I agree with HC that is seems amateurish...I would rather the crew spent all their time planning the flights and covering all the options and scenarios rather than one going off to brief the Pax....(quite often being the captain,leaving the co-jo to plan/finish up etc) with the one hour report time before flight doesn't actually leave much time for anything extra...When I board an airliner I like to see the two pilots in the cockpit taking care of business, covering all eventualities etc and wouldn't like it if one was chatting to the pax at the gate while one was in the cockpit doing things alone(the reason for two crew is to monitor each other)!
Does it make the Passengers feel better?? Split opinions on that one, some like it, some actually think the companies are trying to hide something!!!
Cheers.