Pacific Blue on-board announcements

[Lindstrim]

Just saw this come up not sure how true it is or if its been posted before.


Paul Milner took an early morning flight on Pacific Blue last Friday (9/5) and noticed staff added some personal flair to their on-board announcements:

"We at Pacific Blue pride ourselves in having some of the best flight crew and cabin staff in the world - unfortunately they couldn't be with us today ... "

" ... in the event that oxygen is needed masks will drop. To operate, pull the mask down - stop screaming - and fit the mask ... "

" ... pull the tags to inflate the vest ... there is also a whistle and a light to attract attention - of sharks."

" ... no smoking anywhere on the plane even in the toilet where there is a smoke detector and an alarm - and a video camera."

"Did anyone notice those naughty passengers who didn't wait for the plane to stop before leaving their seats? We now ask those people to kindly leave the plane."

" ... your luggage is being unloaded and will be available once we have gone through it and removed anything of value."


Little bit of a laugh.

[greenslopes]

Your point being..............?

Oh...sorry your one of those eternally sad gits who think all should be grim.

If it gets the punter to put down their paper and pay attention then perhaps the humour has had the desired effect....lets face it you noticed!

Chin Up Old Boy

[hot tuna]

I'm a sad git too.... A safety announcement is just that. P**S around all you like on the PA for the rest of the flight, but not during the Safety briefing.

[Mr. Hat]

they should seriously consider jobs as stand up comedians.

very original.

[distracted cockroach]

The usual bunch of the same old gags.....sorry, but I'm another of those sad gits who thinks professionalism is more important in flight crew than the ability to be amusing.
Personally, this would be totally groan inducing if I was a passenger, and totally embarrasing if I was a crew member. If I was the Captain I would be asking that such "hilarity" be kept to other announcements and the safety PAs be restricted to just that.

[Lindstrim]

I dont give a flying monkeys what they do. If it makes the passengers take notice then I'm all for it.

When travelling with a rugby team to Dunedin we all did the safety procedures back to the CC. They thought it was a great laugh, so did most of the other passengers, until someone complained about us.

lets face it you noticed!

I wasnt actually there it was on the NZ hearald thats all. So probably quite a few people noticed it as well.

[distracted cockroach]

Well it was sent into the Herald column "Sideswipe" by someone.
Can anyone here (on a prof. pilot's forum) honestly tell me you have never heard those gags before? If not I suggest you get out more! They are as old as the hills and about as funny now as they were then.

[Cypher]

Ask yourself, what TV commercials have you seen that you remember, ones that were dry and witless, or clever ads that delivered their content in a entertaining manner.

People tend to remember stuff that they find relevant to them. If they enjoy something, they also tend to remember it.

How many pax have you seen when you've been travelling just ignore the passenger briefing and keep reading their paper. Hit them over the head with a briefing that makes them sit up and notice, making them ask themselves what is it that everyone else in the aircraft finds amusing. They'll probably then end up paying attention to the briefing instead of finishing reading section one of the Herald.

Sure I agree there is a limit where the original content shouldn't be diluted down in it's importance, but I hardly see the harm in these announcements as the original message is still there.
Just because it's a different way of doing things, doesn't make it the wrong way of doing things...

[18-Wheeler]

As above, comedy like that doesn't often work.

That being said, I was on a VB flight some time last year and they pulled off a very funny trick that worked well - The hairy-leg hostie up the front started doing the PA, but the regular female hostie down the back did the voice, so for the entire time the bloke up the front mimed it all and did a bloody good job of it.
Everyone LOL'ed. :D

[Queenslander]

So when do we get to see Magda Szubandski in a nice TIGHT VB uniform..........:E

[Mr. Hat]

have you everpaxed and had to liten to this sort of carry on.
its embarrassing.

[SteveWA]

As a regular SLF, fortunately not very often on VB and never on Pacific Blue I find this sort of stuff very un-professional .

I am sure all you gentlemen and ladies would agree that RPT or indeed any sort of flying is a serious business, this sort of stuff just seems out of place.

I recall one horrid red-eye out of Perth on VB where the cabin crew started telling bad jokes and then the flight deck told them to "prepare for blast off". Not professional, not needed especially when all I wanted to do was sleep for a few hours, after watching the safety briefing of course........

SteveWA

[dudduddud]

If they didn't notice a standard passenger briefing, they probably wouldn't have noticed the one with the stupid jokes.

[smartalec888]

Don't you just love the exit row briefing that has been delievered to pax or "guests" once the door is closed and the f/a is there with her safety demo kit, then realises that she didn't brief the overwings?

Or don't you just love "now when the crew shout get out please open these exits".

What ever happenned to evacuate evacuate evacuate?

[Jackaroo 2]

This (LOW) standard of SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS is a direct 'monkey see monkey do' situation. Monkey Management breeds monkey followers.

How many 2000hrs 737NG pilots have applied for PB and NOT been hired?
Its very much a 'club'. 'Lets just ALL monkey around'.
:uhoh:

[RadioSaigon]

Oh FFS, get off your high-horses you plonkers.

Do you think for a minute that these safety briefings are not approved by the appropriate regulators???

It is the content of the briefings that matters, not the delivery. As others have said, if it gets the pax attention and gets the message through, then I'm all for it. I've only flown VB the once and, whilst I found some of the cracks a little groan-inducing, I did listen with undivided attention to what was being said. I'd rather listen to that delivery of the safety briefing by someone that is obviously happy in their work and enjoying the opportunity to project some of their own personality into their delivery, than the mind-numbing drone offered by Qantas and other airline FA's during theirs.

I see it as a further manifestation of the positive culture engendered in all Virgin operations by founder Richard Branson, and personally welcome it.

[RadioSaigon]

No, not "all fun & games" sid star -a serious message, packaged in a new and different (dare I say it... entertaining) way that IMO has a much better chance of capturing and retaining the pax attention.

You guys really ought not to take yourselves or life quite so seriously -you're never going to survive it!!!

:E

[distracted cockroach]

Personally, I would like to thank every other PROFESSIONAL pilot here for taking themselves and life seriously. Likewise the Flight Attendants.

[RadioSaigon]

ROFPML distracted cockroach :ok:

My point EXACTLY!!!

[A37575]

Do you think for a minute that these safety briefings are not approved by the appropriate regulators???

These peurile public address announcements are not subject to regulatory approval. Compared with the carefully worded skilled (professional?) PA announcements by not only Qantas but other major international airlines (Cathay, Dragonair, BA and others)., the Virgin and Pacific Blue PA's of this nature are undisciplined rubbish. So much so, there are passengers (guests?) who will change their flights to Qantas rather than be forced as a captive audience to cringe in embarrassment at the Virgin flair of funny hee-hee PA announcements. :yuk:

[psycho joe]

:ugh: How dare these flight attendants try to be funny and set a friendly enjoyable tone in the cabin, instesad of being dour, sour faced hags.

I wonder if the complaints about these crews would be from the same people who manage to spend an entire flight/day/roster whinging/bitching/moaning about;

The company,
management,
paxing seat allocation,
the tax rate,
the price of fuel,
interest rates,
the government,
the cost of luxury goods,
private school fees,
long trips,
short trips,
that year,
Hawke,
Rudd,
funny cabin crew,
sour cabin crew,
the travelling public,
engineers,
refuellers,
security,
atc,
the walk from the carpark,
the guy driving the crew bus,
the ex wife,
the bag chuckers,
the person operating the aerobridge,
every other pilot,
every other profession,

Like true PROFESSIONALS.

[RadioSaigon]

well spoken psycho joe :ok:

It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?

[Spotlight]

Flying is indeed a serious business. All of the above reasons and more.

For me! Some humour in a briefing is okay and, if done well, appreciated.

However, "May I have your attention please" triggers my survival nerve endings every time.

[Jamair]

:oh: Visualise if you will, the AFTERMATH of an aircrash. Imagine the result of a smarmy, 'clever', 'funny' SAFETY briefing, with passengers still trapped in the fuselage because they did not hear the important message of how to exit; or the floating bodies who did not know how to don or inflate their life jackets. Consider how the investigators will examine the recording of the SAFETY briefing and where the fault will be sheeted home.

I like to develop a good rapport with my pax and humour is a great tool, IN ITS' PLACE - which is NOT the SAFETY briefing.:=

[Mr.Buzzy]

Get lives!

bbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzz

[Spotlight]

Get a Command zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[sprocket check]

This thread is turning out some interesting opinions, like the one where the poor kid that mentioned his drug use.

If you look at it pragmatically, it is the message that counts. If anyone can say that they listened to, absorbed and paid 100% attention to every briefing, they are superhuman.


As soon as the doors close and the aircraft air kicks in, oxygen starts decreasing, you've settled into your seat and your head starts feeling heavy, you start to dose off. Through the ambient noise you hear the bell of the announcement... 'aah that'll be the safety whatsimmejig...' anyone cute today? as you lean into the isle. Nah, just some old mothers club, net even qualifying for a MILF and some hairy leg in the second aisle.. brrr. Now, where's that magazine, oh hang on she's cute...but she's demoing the section behind me. S**t, just my luck. Where's that mag again...

Pax are not professional fliers, they are normal people that need to be told what to do in case of emergency. Entertainment is a BRILLIANT way of doing that. Better to be subjected to entertaining, shocking or even embarrassing safety briefing delivery that makes you wake up and take notice than sleep through it all together.

Surely safety is important enough that we don't need to have pole up the behind about the communication of the message?

I've been on flights where the FO has been so embarrassing I cringe even thinking about it, but all the pax around me took notice. Some OS airlines just use a video. Professional? Hardly, in order not to offend, they used animated figures, no sex, race etc specific, just in case they might offend. Unwatchable and incomprehensible.

just my 2c

sc

[chainsaw]

Well sprocket check, if, when you board the aircraft you...

start to dose off...

then it's probably quite understandable that you're not getting the message! :8

[sprocket check]

chainsaw

and you can bet your **** that many of your pax are in just that position. Your responsibility as a professional is to make them 'get it'. The techniques you use and the results you get are what determines how successful at your job you are. If you make me fall asleep, you are not doing your job, as in, you are not communicating your message effectively. :ugh:

[mattyj]

Gee there are some humourless gits around who take things a little too seriously..lifes too short..good work virgins:ok: (and your prices are great)

[Mr.Buzzy]

Get a Command zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

5 years ago now thanks Spotdim.

Have seen both sides to your so called "professional" and "not professional" safety PA's.

I know which method engages the average punter.

Funny; 'cos the same method also further engages the boring farts who listen closely for the "unprofessionalisms"

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[aussie_hawk]

Don't know about some of you guys, but i've had to do a few hundred pax briefs asa pilot flying the bugsmashers of this world and there is nothing worse than doing a SERIOUS pax brief (e.g. life jacket brief) only to have a question of what's in the pouch a parachute from one pax.

Doesn't matter how you do it i was taught, just make sure the moron down the back gets the message.

Its been too long since some of you had to deal directly with the guys and girls sitting in the rear rows. Maybe you need to get back to the real world and try doing an announcement or two and see who really pays attention.

And good luck to all those aspiring comedians whofound the jetsetting lifestyle pays just that little bit better.

[wirgin blew]

I wouldn't like to be that CS. At VB any jokes in the safety demo are frowned upon and I can imagine the PB manuals are the same. The rest of the gags are well worn but ok. Since VB are trying to attract the business traveller, crew have been asked to respect the type of people on board and the time of the day. The corny joke is VB's thing, always has been, always will be and at the end of the day its why people remember to choose us over the other airlines. You would much rather be stuck with a crew who look like they are enjoying what they are doing as opposed to the ones who look like they would rather be somewhere else.

[RadioSaigon]

This has turned out to be a thoroughly entertaining thread! I have to say, I've been a little gob-smacked by some of the attitudes apparent, particularly those by presumed 'professional' pilots -I assume you have your red rat teddy bears handy boys???

It appears that Captain Barry Strongjaw, he of the steely gaze, heroic deed and gravitas extremis is amongst us! Apparently we should all bow down before him, resplendent in his gold braid and tug our forelocks in respect and gratitude for his gracing our lowly presence. Heaven forbid we express an opinion contrary his, lest our professionalism be called into question!!!

I said it before -in case you missed it the 1st time, here it is again: FFS get off your high-horses.

Personally, I would like to thank every other PROFESSIONAL pilot here for taking themselves and life seriously. Likewise the Flight Attendants.

I really wonder how, in your opinion, the fact that I may use humour in the several thousand safety briefings that I have personally delivered, makes my delivery of that safety briefing or my conduct of the flight any less professional?

These peurile public address announcements are not subject to regulatory approval.

I beg to differ. I think you'll find that the content of safety briefings is indeed a matter of regulatory definition and approval. The delivery however, is left to the operator's discretion.

Compared with the carefully worded skilled (professional?) PA announcements by not only Qantas...

You forgot to mention "delivered in a mind-numbing, bored, distracted monotone by someone making it plain that they would rather be doing anything else", for that has surely been my experience.

Visualise if you will, the AFTERMATH of an aircrash. Imagine the result of a smarmy, 'clever', 'funny' SAFETY briefing, with passengers still trapped in the fuselage because they did not hear the important message of how to exit... yadda yadda yaddaI added the 'yadda's'!

From what I've witnessed of these so-called 'professional' safety briefings, the vast majority of the pax subjected to it are totally disengaged and disinterested, paying more attention to their magazines, iPods's, the kid in the row behind them or anything other than the monotonous drone issuing from the PA. The VB announcements however, as I said in a previous post seem to capture people's attention and IMO are far more likely to be effective at both getting the message across and ensuring the message is retained and acted upon "in the highly unlikely event of an emergency".

I reckon Captain Barry Strongjaw needs to seriously consider getting the hell out of his ivory cockpit, down from the lofty heights of his wallet and re-engage not only with reality and humour, but with the average joe punter that occupies everything aft of row 0A.

[HeliDriverNZ]

Gee there are some miserable b*&stards on this forum get over it their just having fun and trying to make the trip a little more enjoyable, you whinging pricks are why the fun is going out of aviation.(ps before you start bashing me you can still have fun and be safe)

[airtags]

happy for the fun to be put into aviation - can even tolerate the odd tired attempt at humour leading into the VB safety PA (albeit with a bit more work on the pronounciations and the read pace)....just can't stand to see all the demo gear spread out on the floor of the single aisle and then be assaulted by a barrage of PA's every 5 minutes trying to sell me IFE, a rent a car, a day old sandwich or a blow up Richard Branson doll.

To be fair and to demonstrate balance, QF amongst most others also needs to review the PA's and the delivery - some of the girls (...and boys) sound like an 80 year old drag queen after they have finished the half marathon.

No matter which airline there's no subsitute for clear CONCISE well presented AND RELEVANT PA's .... just not too many of them and make sure that the PA's are done by a single 'voice' that sounds professional.

PS: Tip for other drivers - have you heard how your own PA's sound in the cabin? - a recording made me rethink mine! - a quick check before boarding to make sure the mic is not 'popping' or muffled is also a good habit to adopt.........................."hello world....:}"

[Taildragger67]

Kulula (https://www.kulula.com/) have been doing it for a while (http://www.southafrica.to/transport/Airlines/Kulula-flights/Kulula-flights.php5) in Seth Eff.

Makes you take notice for the first one or two times but becomes a bit cringeworthy after that. But if that means that first- or second-timers pay attention, then job done.

What might work, is if the papers and mags were not distributed until after the demo...

[Cap'n Arrr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lRB_ukrrb8

Although I should add that they're the only airline I've flown with that actually ask passengers to put their belts back on when taxiing in to the gate.:ok:

[Cap'n Arrr]

And it's also important to see things from Osamas point of view (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV2pPQVlIT0&feature=related):}

[Counter-rotation]

Radio Saigon -

What you say would be a good argument, but for one thing.

Not one part of that tripe was remotely funny!!

Cringeworthy and embarrassing at best, unprofessional at worst. IF you were looking at me during a safety briefing you'd see me reading the paper too - I have already read the card, sorted out exits (probably in an exit row anyway :ok: ) etc. etc.

Make it professional at least. If you want to try party tricks, for fcuks sake at least make it funny :yuk: :yuk:

And last of all, if you are going to try and be funny, but fail at that, try to pick a theme for your sh!t comedy that isn't running down your own company!! Jeeeezuz Christ. :sad:

CR.

[Cypher]

Okay,

so we've b!tched about the P.As, we've b!tched about the corny jokes, we've b!tched about the the cabin crew's sense of humour, we've b!tched about the disengaged cabin crew, we've b!tched about the magazines and newspapers been given out too early, we've b!tched about the news papers and magazines been given out too late, we've b!tched about the price of luxury goods, we've b!tched about 2000 hrs being hired to fly Boeing 737s..

Is there anything else that we'd all like to B!tch about? :rolleyes::ugh:

[RadioSaigon]

Counter-rotation: it may be handy to remember that the other 99.9% of the SLF aboard do not have your exposure to the trite little jokes that we as pilots share daily -even the ones we've heard so often they are wearing a little thin.

Really, as far as I can see, my argument stands. You of course are as entitled to a contrary opinion as anyone else -without any unneccessary slurs on your or anyone else's professionalism.

:ok:

[Shazz-zaam]

A few years ago, a couple of Virgin Blue flight attendants thought it would be hillarious if they called out the brace commands just before the aircraft touched down.

Several passengers were not impressed and made formal complaints to Virgin as well as to CASA.

After an investigation the flight attendants were sacked.

Very unprofessional, especially when they treat safety related issues like PA's as if it was a joke.

I wonder if the travelling public would think it was funny if they heard the pilots say something like "oops, I wonder what this button does if I press it?" on the PA, just as a joke.

[RadioSaigon]

Look, I really believe that some posters in here are being a little precious of their assumed professional dignitas. It's unnecessary. The VB 'style' is just that -a part of their corporate identity. If it makes you personally uncomfortable, then the answer is simple: don't fly with or for them. This thread has truly worn out its welcome IMO.

My 2c worth endeth here.

[airtags]

Shaz - good point especially in connection with those who thought it would be funny to shout the brace cmd - ..........Maybe, just for fun, we could also get these idiots to demo the life rafts* ................. :E

[Re: "style before safety" - I'm sure the fare paying pax would get quite a laugh out of the fact that the life raft stowages are STILL empty and that CASA STILL lets VB fly with an expired dispensation not to carry them.

here endeth today's marginal thread drift.]

[CSTGuy]

Another example of a bunch of amateurs masquerading as an airline. Just one big happy flying school with the kids to prove it.

How on earth will the VB Group airlines ever be taken seriously by the wider airline community if they all carry on like they are still at high school?

CASA clamped down a few years ago on VB for mocking the Safety Demo - and I am led to believe that socks were subsequently pulled up. A little memo to the NZ CAA might help if you're all over the attempt at humour. :=

[Mr.Buzzy]

How do I make the little vomiting man emoticon?

bbbbbbzzzzzzzz

[rotaryman]

:yuk::yuk:

[Van Gough]

Another example of a bunch of amateurs masquerading as an airline. Just one big happy flying school with the kids to prove it.

How on earth will the VB Group airlines ever be taken seriously by the wider airline community if they all carry on like they are still at high school?

CASA clamped down a few years ago on VB for mocking the Safety Demo - and I am led to believe that socks were subsequently pulled up. A little memo to the NZ CAA might help if you're all over the attempt at humour. :=

You stick with Qantas then mate..I'm sure you will be much happier with things dulled down a bit. Make sure you have your QF frequent flyer tag on your case for everyone to see though...