Using children's voices on safety briefs

[Dengue_Dude]

I recently travelled to Paphos and return via Thomson. The aircraft departed and arrived on time both ways - thanks.

However, I was appalled to hear the canned Safety Announcement being done in a child's voice . . . it's bad enough that you have to listen to an (often) patronising brief (aimed at lowest common denominator et al), but using children briefing adults is a complete turn off. :ugh:

Whose bright idea was that? Do any other companies do it?

WHY?

Are we going to be welcomed onboard by the captain/FO in a child's voice too?

[Capetonian]

I flew from IOM to BFS not long ago on Manx2 and the safety video was done by children. It was very professional, catchy, and people paid attention. I thought it was a good and original approach but I can understand why many might not appreciate it.

[caaardiff]

Made you listen though didn't it..... Think about it....

Thomson Airways Safety Video 2009 - YouTube

Appalled

A bit over the top?

it's bad enough that you have to listen to an (often) patronising brief (aimed at lowest common denominator et al),

Which is why they did something different and creative. Gets peoples attention.

but using children briefing adults is a complete turn off.
I don't think it's supposed to turn you on :=

I think Air New Zealand did something similar

[JAKL]

Totally agree Caaardiff, unfortunately some parents don't even listen to the voices of their own children!

[superq7]

Caaardiff

I personally find them rather annoying but at the end of the day it's no big deal.

[con-pilot]

it's bad enough that you have to listen to an (often) patronising brief (aimed at lowest common denominator et al),

Oh, so you believe that every other person in that cabin with you is an expert on all types of different airliners, that knows everything there is to know about traveling on the airlines and that they can learn absolutely nothing new. They are all real experts, like you seem to think you are.

Anything that can get the attention of passengers for the safety briefing is good. Well, except for real professional passengers such as you, that is incapable of learning some thing new, seeing you think you know it all.

I would bet that I have traveled a hell of a lot more on the airlines than you have. When the safety briefing starts, I stop what I am doing, then watch and listen to the Flight Attendant's speech or videoed safety briefing, no matter how many times I've heard it or how many times I've traveled or actually flown that type of aircraft.

But I'm very impressed that you must know a hell of a lot more about aircraft than I do, after all I only flew them for 42 years.

[pigboat]

I would bet that I have traveled a hell of a lot more on the airlines than you have. When the safety briefing starts, I stop what I am doing, then watch and listen to the Flight Attendant's speech or videoed safety briefing, no matter how many times I've heard it or how many times I've traveled or actually flown that type of aircraft.
Oui monsieur, every time. :ok:

[J.L.Seagull]

Air Arabia Inflight Safety Video 2012 - YouTube

[Hotel Tango]

I'm all for inovative ways to attract pax attention to safety briefings. My only concern is that once these amusing videos have been seen a few times they become more monotonous than the standard "live" briefing and are likely to be ignored just as much if not more by the "regulars". They would need to be changed frequently to retain curiosity. Best method would be for a live briefing whilst at least one member of the cabin crew roams the cabin and whacks on the head anyone not paying attention. :E:)

[PAXboy]

I saw the Thomson one myself a couple of years ago and thought it very good. I have just watched the Air Arabia and think it good for these reasons:


It is made with humour.
They show the children happy and this may reassure children on the flight.
Children are far more likely (I think) to watch this than the adults doing 'the dance'.
Children may well remember more of it than their parents and be better help if the information is needed.
They use close up shots of the exits, emergency lighting etc. You do not get this in the plain 'live' version.
The children point to the floor lighting and the actual place where the life vest is stored - brilliant.
They show children from dozens of nations and I found that very inclusive.
They show the children telling each other to switch off electronic devices and - although we know it is all a game - I think that carries far more weight than words from an adult standing 10 rows away.
Finishing with the ramp staff holding the gear lock pennant was good - it may remind the pax of the many people involved. Also, the boy doing his moment for the film looked so happy!

The only point I did not hear was 'your nearest exit may be behind you' but I don't have time to listen to it again now. Also, they might have shown two crew on the flight deck.

I am a BIG fan of all attempts to bring this information to Pax e.g. the work done by ANZ. So well done to Air Arabia.

[Sunnyjohn]

I think it's a good idea, for the reasons well stated by Paxboy and for other reasons. However, I would worry about the audibility of such a presentation over the frequently poor public address systems in aircraft.

[Basil]

Ah, that's why pilots are falling asleep; they aren't getting their little rockaby :p

[ExXB]

Well, I'll admit I rarely will watch an entire safety briefing because:

I've already stowed my hand luggage in the overhead, or under the seat in front,
My tray is stowed,
I've put on my seat belt, which will remain on for the duration (potty breaks excluded)
I've already identified the emergency exits and the ones closest to me, I've counted the rows in both directions,
I've identified where the 02 masks will fall from,
I've looked at the safety card,
I've put my phone and iPad into flight mode and I'm prepared to put iPad to sleep. (Did anyone note that in both videos posted here that devices were not turned off completely!)

I don't ignore the briefing completely, for example I'll look up for the life jacket to familiarize myself with the ties/fittings. I find that much of the demonstration is telling you to do things that you've already done. To me it seems silly to be told to put your carry-on up or down, when you're already taxying and everyone has done it and the bin doors are closed.

But I'm not saying that other, less experienced, flyers should ignore the briefing.

[Basil]

But I'm not saying that other, less experienced, flyers should ignore the briefing.
So, if you pay attention then you mark yourself as an inexperienced passenger?
Like con-pilot, I look up and pay attention; could remind me of something I've forgotten and, at the least, is an example to other pax.

[ExXB]

Basil, you are right. Let me change that:

But I'm not saying that other flyers should ignore the briefing.

[localflighteast]

The two additional thin gs that I do ( tips picked up from PPRUNE, thank you very much) are to not only figure out where my nearest exit is but to familiarise myself with which exits can't be used in water ditchings (it varies a lot from plane to plane)

Also check that there is indeed a life vest under my seat.

I couldn't help thinking on my last commercial flight about all the useless stuff they tell you (how to work a seatbelt) and all the useful stuff they don't ( which exits to use, how important it really is to get the oxygen mask on quickly)

[flydive1]

I always stop what I'm doing and follow the briefing.

I do that for all the above reasons, but also out of respect for the cabin crew doing their job.

[Sunnyjohn]

I asked Mrs SJ to watch and listen to the Thompson video kindly posted by Caaardif (I think that's what this thread was originally about . . .) and she found the children's voices really irritating and, as one who listens and watches assiduously to every safety briefing, said she would be put off by this one.

[Rwy in Sight]

I am not sure that I would remember how many seats are between me and the two nearest exits although I do take note when I board.

Regarding ditching I think the forward and overwing exits are the one to use mostly in most narrowbodies aircraft I pax on.

I do look very carefully the safety demo for a simple reason: I feel that the day I have not paid attention it will be the day that the knowledge will be useful and critical. No if some one does not pay attention he/she is Darwin award candidate.


Rwy in Sight

[Dengue_Dude]

I would bet that I have traveled a hell of a lot more on the airlines than you have. When the safety briefing starts, I stop what I am doing, then watch and listen to the Flight Attendant's speech or videoed safety briefing, no matter how many times I've heard it or how many times I've traveled or actually flown that type of aircraft.

But I'm very impressed that you must know a hell of a lot more about aircraft than I do, after all I only flew them for 42 years.

Hmm, well you obviously have.

Much of my flying was military, only 10 years flying airliners and five of those freighting. I've only been a professional aviator for 40 years, instructor, examiner and now write manuals and checklists for fast jets.

I was appalled by the brief and my impression was that there was at best only scant attention being paid to the brief. So it obviously didn't work all that well and the cabin crew looked bored out of their tree in the middle of the brief

Just for the record, as was said earlier, all the things I have personal responsibility for had been done. Safety card read and nearest exit identified because it's just possible the emergency will occur BEFORE the brief.

It would be a real privilege to meet you, it's not often in one's lifetime that you could get to meet a real Paragon of Virtue - I bow to your experience . . .

Just imagine, you know exactly what I'm thinking, even my wife can't quite manage that.

[Sunnyjohn]

there was at best only scant attention being paid to the brief.I think you will find that that is the norm in any safety brief. Like others on this thread, regardless of whether I've been flying for 250 years and have had all this wonderful professional experience, I always listen to, and pay attention to the brief. This is possibly because I have studied disasters as part of my degree and have continued to take an interest in these things. You never know, the next time, it might be me, and I want to know what to do and how to do it in order to preserve the life of myself and my loved-ones and to help others if I can. Perhaps the fact that my Dad was a London firefighter has something to do with it as well!

[PAXboy]

I think the Air Arabia version better than Thomson. Is there an ideal? The pax that are not going to pay attention - are always not going to pay attention.

The ones that are going to panic in an evac - are always going to panic.

The ones that are going to revert to first learned behaviour and head for the door they entered by AND take their handluggage? They always will.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the proliferation of mobile phones is how we now get ground-level video of the evac as it happens. We can see just how many pax take their hand luggage and coats and junk with them. We have discussed this in this forum and, most recently, in R&N with the Asiana 777 at SFO in July.

[TightSlot]

May I...?


Humour in a Safety Video? Some Like It, Some Don't...
Children in a Safety Video? Some Like It, Some Don't...
Actually watching a Safety Video? Some Do, Some Don't...


The list is endless: Aviation is a Mass Transit process, meaning that almost any activity that is geared to 100% of the people on board will attract the full range of human response. In this instance, the Thomson video generated a high volume of customer approval (many Thomson passengers fly only once a year, or even less frequently). The effort by both airlines and legislative authorities to increase safety video awareness is surely commendable, even if the results don't fit in with personal taste?

I have to confess to fascination with some of the things that appear to drive customers to spirals of fury (Not you Dengue_Dude, just in general) - requests to turn off phones or ipads for 10 minutes are regarded as infringements of human rights: Requests to watch safety videos routinely ignored: Requests to restrict hand-baggage are met with abuse and derision - Once again, the list is endless.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to be able to explain why these events are more frequent, not as individual instances but as examples of a trend: Something to do with a sense of the importance of individual entitlement exceeding any group or culturally shared set of values. However that's just cod sociology over the first coffee of the day. What I can tell you is that the experience of aviation for all involved has got worse over the 35 years that I have been flying. The blame for that, in my view, lies not just with the airlines and legislative authorities, but also with the species... :)

[rgsaero]

I've never seen/heard a safety message involving a child's voice.

I was, however, very interested in the reactions of passengers around me to the safety video on AirNZ either last or early this year; this was given largely by - I think- All Black rugby players. Some of these were recognisable to me, but a number of those around me spent the whole of the address debating who the people were and why they were doing the talking. I don't think any of them would have got the message.

Excellent no doubt for Kiwis, some Oz and South Africans and a few Brits, but Japanese Americans etc? Would have gone "straight past the outside edge" to use a cricketing metaphor!

[KBPsen]

In too many videos the message gets lost in slick production and gimmicks.They are also far to long.They should be short, to the point and convey the very real and serious reasons for giving the instructions in the first place.

[ShyTorque]

Are we going to be welcomed onboard by the captain/FO in a child's voice too?

You ought to listen to some of the "kiddie crew" up front talking to ATC on the radio these days.....

[PAXboy]

KBPsenThey should be short, to the point and convey the very real and serious reasons for giving the instructions in the first place.
You mean, like telling the pax that take off and landing are the most dangerous parts of the flight?

You mean, like telling pax that in an otherwise survivable crash, smoke is the real killer but airlines don't want to change the fabrics they use or install water sprinkler systems or accept mandated use of smoke hoods?

I agree but - That'll be the day! :ugh:

[Davef68]

I remember the first time I flew on 'Go!' being surprised by a sudden change in emphasis and volume in the briefing audio at the point where the exits were being pointed out. That caught peoples attention

[Wyler]

I saw the brief done by kids for the first time last week on a flight to Portugal.

Novel idea and I thoroughly enjoyed it. More importantly, I saw far more people paying attention than I normally do so I guess it works.
(I always pay attention anyway).

[jetset lady]

You mean, like telling pax that in an otherwise survivable crash, smoke is the real killer but airlines don't want to change the fabrics they use or install water sprinkler systems or accept mandated use of smoke hoods?

You mean, like telling pax that airlines don't want to change the fabrics they use or install water sprinkler systems or accept mandated use of smoke hoods because, thanks in part to the arrival of the lo-co carriers, pax no longer want to pay the sort of money that would be needed for all these wonderful but somewhat expensive cabin refits, water sprinkler systems and smoke hoods?

[DaveReidUK]

You mean, like telling pax that airlines don't want to change the fabrics they use or install water sprinkler systems or accept mandated use of smoke hoods because, thanks in part to the arrival of the lo-co carriers, pax no longer want to pay the sort of money that would be needed for all these wonderful but somewhat expensive cabin refits, water sprinkler systems and smoke hoods?A CAA study looking at historical accidents involving cabin fires over a 30 year period concluded that around 34 lives per year would have been saved had all the aircraft involved been fitted with Cabin Water Spray Systems.

[PAXboy]

Yes, jetset lady. It's money. Since no airline will give themselves a competitive disadvantage (weight) in the name of safety - nothing will happen.


All carriers keep away from saying they are safe or what will happen in the event of a prang.
When asked, they always say "safety is our first concern".
When asked why they don't install further precautions they say, "more research is needed".

If the world authorities stated that every new a/c had to have water atomisers (not sprinklers) and that different fabrics/materials on new aircraft must be used to reduce smoke/fumes - then everyone could benefit over the time of fleets being renewed. Carriers could stay with older machines or upgrade with a positive statement.

It will not happen.

[Laarbruch72]

The Thomson video was (and still is) held up by many studies and professional bodies as a great example of creative thinking on how to break that pax habit of ignoring the brief because they've flown before.

People do talk about it, most like it, some hate it, but everyone notices it. I think that's job done.

[Dengue_Dude]

Like beauty I suppose, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Not being a highly experienced, virtuous world traveller like Con-Pilot, even in my meagre experience, one thing is clear, the one person responsible for getting me and mine safely out of an aircraft in difficulties is me . . .

If we truly are considering 'Safety is our Prime Concern', then the Cabin Crew need to look a little more interested during the Demo - and before anyone comments, I've done plenty of 19 hour crew duty days, not the stuff limited by the current (sensible) international CDT agreements.

[Laarbruch72]

If we truly are considering 'Safety is our Prime Concern', then the Cabin Crew need to look a little more interested during the Demo


And yet I can't remember an AAIB finding stating "this person died as a result of the cabin crew looking slightly disheartened during the safety briefing".

I'm not saying it's good but if you and I had to thrice daily brief to 200 slack jaws too busy reading their magazines / iPhones to listen, with a minor sprinking of 30 or 40 polite souls, we'd get a little jaded too.

[Dengue_Dude]

Take your point, but we on the flight deck were expected to maintain a modicum of interest in what was going on in the office . . . especially on multiple sector days . . .

Still, that'll do for me on this topic 'cos I might get castigated again by the 'doyen of dead-heading'. :ouch::ouch::ouch:

Have fun and be safe

[Laarbruch72]

"we on the flight deck"


Generally, "you on the flight deck" never have to have that face-to-face interaction with the 200 slack jaws 4 times a day. Again, I'll forgive any lack of enthusiasm on the part of the cabin crew, but based on what I see them face on every single briefing I've witnessed, they do their level best.

[V800]

After the first time I find these novelty safety briefs tiresome. My own preference is one that conveys all the information required by the regulating authority in the shortest time possible without the need for some B list actor to be paid a extortionate fee.

Perhaps Air NZ should look at how it is done on their Link carrier Eagle Airways Beech 1900s where the entire brief is delivered by the first officer in under 30 seconds.

[KBPsen]

You mean,...No, but thanks for providing an excellent example of not paying attention.

[PAXboy]

KBPsen :) I'm known for it. :ooh:

[ExXB]

A another variation on a theme. Thanks TE (oops, I mean) NZ!

[PAXboy]

Another FABULOUS safety briefing movie by A.NZ. :ok: :ok: :ok:

[PAXboy]

Now ANZ in for some stick. The Independent | Video (http://www.independent.co.uk/video/?videoid=3201406944001)

Is this a mistake - or carefully planned to generate more (free) publicity?

[cavortingcheetah]

The concept of using children's voices for safety briefings is rumoured to have been the brain child of Sergei Chaliapin, Director of Aeroflot, and Director General in Russian State Information Technologies. He's held the post since about 2007/8 and is a devoted family man of great probity. He was asked to design a concept which would help distinguish paedophiles from passengers in the run up to the games at Sochi and for the benefit of Russian society as a whole. His solution was to incorporate a series of sensor in the arm rests of the seats on Aeroflot aircraft and then, by routing children's voices through the aircraft PA system, to be able to measure the electronic tinglings of delight of each passenger as he or she became aware of the childlike voices. These readings could, as in a lie detector, be fed to a central computer within the aircraft system which would enable the seat number of anyone who registered a suspicious reaction to be reconciled with their name on the load sheet. Thus the purported paedophile could be a marked man or woman at destination and dealt with accordingly.
Unfortunately perhaps, the technology for the broadcasts themselves has been used by other airlines. But in the absence of the original screening equipment, the likes of Air New Zealand do not possess the sophistication to put the announcements to the use for which they were originally intended. There was a suggestion a couple of years ago that the New Zealand government had approached the Russians with a view to recording some trial announcements in a baa like reproductive tone.

[PAXboy]

cavcheet You are, as always, a mine of information. Possibly sourced from the salt mines in those long years of your incarceration for crimes against Moderators ... :E

[aergid]

On a personal note:

i would rather watch a catchy video with kids, and actually absorb the safety announcement rather than having to switch off from listening to the monitone voice of the Cabin manager/Chief Crew Member/Head Trolley Dolly droll on and on for an age until I fall into a deep comatosed snooze....:zzz::zzz::zzz:

So 1 vote for the small people....:D:D:D

[TightSlot]

Cheetah's can run very, very fast.

But not for long...


:E

[PAXboy]

Having reused this thread to keep related points together - we got thread drift as we watched the cheetah streaking across the horizon...

I quote from the article headline:
Air New Zealand's latest in-flight video has been criticised for being 'highly sexualised' after praise for previously creative publicity.

[SawMan]

I seem to recall a study that claimed people paid more attention to a child's voice than an adult's, especially the children who were listening. We all know kids don't listen to us adults so at least they could benefit from this :p And really, if a child can do this then as an adult you'd better be able to handle it too or you'll lose all your 'adult credibility'- the psychological side of this. As important as it is to get the message across to everyone, I'm for doing whatever might make the system work better, within reason, and with all the commenting going on it's obvious that people are paying attention to the message so I'd say this approach is working :ok:

I'm not concerned about there being some kind of connection to Pedo's here, for just as with everything else these days any incident becomes hugely over-hyped as the paranoid people gain their audience, which takes things far beyond reasonable sanity and makes me wonder about that person's mental stability. When the rare incident does occur there needs to be an iron-fisted approach, but really- these incidents are rare compared when thought of in the context of how many times it does not happen with adult-child interactions. Wondering what doing that math would bring; perhaps 0.000001%? So yeah, it's a big problem when it happens but it isn't something to get paranoid about, just something to be aware of and watch for on the same level as keeping kids from playing with liquid mercury or from eating lead-based paint chips := Bad adults will find a way to do their evil deeds and until we can find a fool-proof way to identify them before they act we can't stop them until laws are broken. And especially with this kind of evil adult, there's a huge number of people looking for them behind the scenes these days so while we hear more of the incidents, I'm of the mind that probably fewer actual incidents are occurring since everybody knows they're being watched closely already, and that is how it should be.

So if having kids in the presentation is better for the many then let's do that. And if we see someone reacting inappropriately to this, then watch them closely and if you feel it needs to happen, then let authorities know of your concerns. And if you actually see someone doing evil with children, I for one will turn a blind eye to you for taking direct action to make that stop in whatever manner you may deem appropriate- I'll even help you if you like :E Methinks it would help matters to see news reports of mangled corpses being found by the Police with "Pedo" carved into their foreheads and somehow I doubt that the Police would find too many of us 'culprits' in that 'crime' when they during their investigation they discovered what the dead person had been doing but won't be doing any more :D

[PAXboy]

I see that I should have started another thread ... the words 'highly sexualised' are NOTHING to do with children in safety videos by ANZ.

If you do look at the article: The Independent | Video (http://www.independent.co.uk/video/?videoid=3201406944001) and watch the video this is about grown ups!

[LadyL2013]

I've always thought famous people doing the briefings, with a selection of a few videos so you have a mix up of who you get on your flight would work well. Would appeal to all ages and because it wouldn't neccessarily be the same celebs on each video you'd be more likely to watch to see who you were getting. Obviously they'd have to be high profile to be most effective.