Virgin Blue trivialisation of cabin safety announcements
 

Soon after descent into Sydney the FA makes a PA for everyone to raise the window blinds. It is 0700 and the sun is blinding, reflecting from the top of layer cloud with a painful glare to the eyes. . When asked why the blinds need to be raised at high altitude, the FA said it was a CASA safety requirement in case the aircraft crashes and the passengers need to look outside to see where the fire is.

Another operator required only the blinds over the window emergency exits to be raised for take off and landing. Other airlines have no policy. If all window blinds must be raised during take off and top of descent in case of a crash fire, it could be argued it would be logical to require all passengers take up the Brace position for take off and landing "just in case the aircraft crashes". Of course that is ridiculous.

The same Virgin Blue flight had the male senior FA making light of serious safety announcements with such gems such as:
:Cabin crew arm doors and cross-dress"
"Pull the oxygen mask over your face and stop screaming:"
"On your lifejacket there is a whistle which you can blow to attract passing sailors".
"Cabin crew take your seats and hold hands for blast-off".
"Turn off all electronic devices and the dishwasher and raise your window blinds".
Welcome to London Heathrow where it is Bikini wearing 20C".
"Welcome aboard where my award winning crew will be at your service - and I am lovely, too".
"Anyone caught smoking in the toilet will be asked to immediately leave the aircraft in flight"
"We are about to take off WHooooooosh, here we go".

This clown had a captive audience to himself for an hour and he never let up until the engines stopped and we were released to run from the fun flight. And that was only one Virgin Blue flight. Similar "fun" PA's are heard routinely on this company's flights. A light touch of appropriate humour is one thing, but this full on crap must be embarrassing to the flight crew whose professionalism is not in doubt.

The giggling trivialisation of vital safety announcements as Virgin Blue passenger cabin policy, risks passengers disregarding the real message while awaiting with baited breath the next amusing episode from a clown FA.
I can just imagine an FA announcement of "Evacuate. Evacuate, Go, Go, Go and I'll be right behind you, Dearie...

MInd you, it sure would be an incentive to ski down the escape slides and run like hell...

Mate, your point is well taken ...I have on several occasions had to "discuss" issues with inflight on certain announcements myself.....my question to you is....did you personally say anything to the crew about your concerns????....even as a pax,you are entitled to voice your opinion....it may be a small point,but you are paying their wages

If you heard this on a Virgin Blue flight then I'd suggest that something has gone seriously wrong...

Was the FA wearing a balaclava and brandishing a pistol and a dodgy middle eastern accent?....Did they use the word "infidel"?

Or...Was it a case of a pilot slipping a pocket knife past security and then saying mid flight... "Bugger it, I feel like going to London".

Yeah, but they are still heaps better to look at, than the Qantas boilers! :ok:

Oh really, obvious you haven't travelled much with international operators.

Trivial they maybe, but they get peoples attention which with the safety stuff is what it is all about. Not a big fan of it myself, but then I suppose it is more polite than one I got on a Qantas flight out of HKG a few years ago..."Lights on, belt up."

Hmm sounds like someone has an axe to grind... if it REALLY were that bad, and at that time of morning when DJ crew are more than aware to keep the tone professional and friendly, then a complaint should be made to the company. DJ crew have been informed long ago that all safety-based announcements are "no-go" areas - they are to be given exactly as scripted; and to use discretion when having a laugh with the pax (ie 7am is clearly inappropriate).

As for the window blinds, well thats DJ policy - so the crew can check the outside conditions before commencing an evac should it be required - have you ever tried to look out the window of a B737 cabin door? They are miniscule! (although perhaps this reasoning could have been described somewhat more subtley) - no apologies being made for that.

:ok:

Besides, blinds up allows you to see any critters on the wing!

You're comparing a "painful glare to the eyes.." with a potential problem of raising the blinds after some incident which, possibly, could render a closed blind inoperative when you need to open it...

I dunno...not a big fan of the "fun" during such announcements but, if you do get everyones attention and its easier to remember to stop screaming & how to attract passing sailors...well...dunno.:confused:

Was on American Airlines out of Washington DC very early in the morning. Cabin PA started with the jokes (Captain Cliff Hanger... Purser Linda Lovelace... that's how long ago!) as the Purser said "now that I have your attention" gave the actual Safety Announcement straight.

Yeah, but they are still heaps better to look at, than the Qantas boilers! :ok:

That now makes a bit more sense than it did before.

Blondes !

Disco Stu

Well with Mardi Gras coming only once a year, these flouncing, minving poofs need another outlet for that quaint, charming character which we all find so amusing and light-hearted, during the rest of the year.

Irritating a 737-load of normal people with their outraaaaageous queenisms could be the next best thing for many of them.

I think a bolier is a french woman that is past her prime.;)

"Disco Stu" old buddy you may want to check your spelling
ditto "turbo" man. or maybe im not getting the joke ?????

one thing though, I will agree that they are a fair bit better to look at than the old QF gals.

I see 'Pammy" has edited her post, it seems her spelling was a bit off in a blonde moment. Oh well, I suppose you can't have big er um jugs and a brain as well:ok:

Disco Stu:p

Passengers on an RPT airliner are entitled by law to sober professionally delivered flight safety announcements - not a bloody floor show.
Re the window blinds. They are there to keep the sun glare out at high altitude. Very few passengers choose to keep the blinds down for take off and landing so any crash involving fire outside the aircraft will be easily visible to the vast majority of passengers.

I have to agree with Centaurus, some of the S**t you hear come from the Virgin Cabin Crew is ridiculous. I am amazed at how lame and trivial it is. Yes it does occur during safety briefings.

Sinala 1, it sounds like you work there. Do the flight crew have an influence on what the cabin crew say. If they are talking s**t does the captain ask them to quit it? I cant be bothered complaining to the company, just fly with the other operator when I can instead.

Bulla

Doesn't matter to me which carrier I travel on anywhere in the world, I SELF BRIEF as a matter of self preservation.

I will admit to finding the post pubescant pimply version of what should be a mature adult flight attendant fails to engender any confidence in me, especially should the "manure hit the oscillator".

This sort of thing does little to engender confidence in the whole singing, face painting, amateur hour standup comics masquerading as flight attendants or does it.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=213183

Disco Stu

Yeah, but they are still heaps better to look at, than the Qantas boilers! :ok:

I LIKE EM..... I LIKE EM A-LOT!

Settle, Pammy.