Virgin America safety video

[DaveReidUK]

Different ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtyfiPIHsIg

[crewmeal]

Simon Cowell was probably behind it!

[PAXboy]

That's very good. They saved themselves money by not tying up a real a/c for the shoot.

Clearly a lot of production time and effort. I think it's truly novel and they managed to tick off most of the genres. If they had just used one style, it would have allowed other companies to use them first. It is amusing and gives all the info - I particularly liked the ref to electronic devices 'please don't make me ask you again'. They also pointed out that the FAA rules give them leverage with non-compliance.

The only place they risk getting a kick is the use of the nun figure. They showed her in a 'clubbing' style and that may have been in keeping with the overall style but not a sensible move.

9 out of 10.

[Mark in CA]

I flew Virgin America for the first time last month, SFO - PDX. The first thing I noticed was the demographic of the people waiting for their flights seemed to be pretty skewed in the direction of 20-30-something urban hipster. Lots of people staring at their laptops, tablets and smartphones, especially around the tables set out for this purpose with AC outlets. The boarding area was much more comfortable than other airlines, and the seats in the aircraft were, too; similar to the leather seats on the Lufthansa intercity flights in Europe. Overall, I'd have to say it was a very positive experience, including the successful return of a Kindle reader I left on the plane after one of the flights.

[Hotel Tango]

Finally got around to watching it. Possibly OK the first time one watches it. If I was a regular on VA, however, I would very soon tire of it and it would encourage me to put ear plugs in, take my book out and ignore the video!

[DaveReidUK]

If I was a regular on VA, however, I would very soon tire of it and it would encourage me to put ear plugs in, take my book out and ignore the video!Fair enough, but the same could be said for just about any safety video, however innovative, when played to regular travellers.

And if a passenger isn't a regular traveller, the one time that they watch it might just be what saves their life ...

[crewmeal]

If I was a regular on VA, however, I would very soon tire of it and it would encourage me to put ear plugs in, take my book out and ignore the video!

And run the wrath of the cabin crew who demand your attention during safety briefings.

[fa2fi]

I'd hate to see how crew feel after their fifth four sector days in a row! Not to mention taxi/cabin secure times.

But it's very well made.

[Hotel Tango]

And run the wrath of the cabin crew who demand your attention during safety briefings

Precisely crewmeal.

Fair enough, but the same could be said for just about any safety video, however innovative, when played to regular travellers.

That's exactly my point about these videos. I have travelled CONDOR 6 times in the past 6 months and their (amusing) video is shown twice, first in German, with English subtitles and then in English, with German subtitles!

These videos may arguably draw the attention of the once or twice per year pax, but may, arguably, have the opposite effect on the more regular pax - especially if it goes on a bit as this VA video does. Yet, they should also be paying attention.

Personally I find the briefings given by cabin crew to be to the point and they always have my full attention.

[strake]

Great entertainment and very well done but:

1. Way too long

2. Will drive you crazy after the third or fourth time

3. In the light of new FAA regulations announced today on use of electronics..parts will have to be re-shot :ouch:

[Basil]

I got one minute in to it and thought "Eff off!"
I am a professional aviator who always watches the video and rebriefs myself from the card but this is taking the piss!

[PAXboy]

In the past five years, we have seen 'the dance' taken over by the boys and girls in the publicity department.

Some companies appear to be using the videos as marketing with the pure aim of having them viewed on YouTube etc. They hope to get free advertising.

Good luck to them and, whether you like them or not, it is less offensive than the free publicity generated by MoL. :ooh:

[yarnsplicer]

(Slightly off-topic). In their video, why did BA remove the great bit where the kid gets smacked in the face with the oxygen mask?

[joy ride]

I hate to show myself up as the GOG that I am, but that is very irritating. I appreciate that they have tried to make it entertaining, but I just do not like it. Perhaps Fire Alarm bells in buildings should also play trashy pop/soul... well, that would certainly make we want to get out! Too many syllables in the words and lyrics unclear enough that I had to read the subtitles. If I had forgotten my glasses on a plane I might not have been able to read the words on a small seat-back screen.
I have flown between LHR and LAX on Virgin and it is one of my favourite airlines, but next time I might have to take some ear plugs!

Grumpy Old Git

[ExXB]

Joyride, that's a different Virgin!

[strake]

Joyride, that's a different Virgin!

And they also have a touch of the "showbiz" safety briefing as well at 5-6 mins per showing - that's down from the original which was just over 8 Minutes!. After three years of listening to it, I was ready to stand up and scream.

Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. KLM Cityhopper can do a brief in about 90 seconds using real people who can stare you in the eye if you're not paying attention...

[PAXboy]

The kids in marketing have to justify their existance and this is a whole new area for them. If I recall correctly, someone in BA has (or used to have) the title 'Manager of Customer Experience' or some such. If you ever wondered - this is what they do!

Someone will have done a project about how to get more people watching the Dance and someone else was doing a project as to how to get onto YouTube. Bingo!

But you have to invent the new - just to find out that the old was best. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/wink2.gif

[flarepilot]

so, a one minute briefing turned into a 4 minute production number.

sit down, shut up, buckle up, oxygen when needed, evacuationroutes, flotation device. etc


I would much rather listen to the theme song of , "Car 54 where are you?".

[ExXB]

I still believe that safety demonstrations emphasise the wrong things and are light on critical issues. ie too much time on carry-on stowage, as you already did that long before the demonstration. The critical stuff is unrealistic, O2 and lifejacket do not depict real life scenarios. You should be shown how to put on the lifejacket while sitting in your 29" pitch seat, and the O2 scene should include the noise and air movement of a depressurisation, perhaps the attitude change and increased engine noise, etc.

Obviously you don't want to scare the crap out of your customers, but the way these videos are done they don't really help passengers being prepared.

I do realise that a lot of this cannot be done in a manual demonstration, but there is really no excuse on the videos