Cpt/FO's 'information' PA's to pax
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Cpt/FO's 'information' PA's to pax
Hi,
Maybe I'm going deaf, but on the holiday flights I've been on over the past few years, the 'informative chat' from the flight deck has been virtually inaudible ! The most recent example was my return from Skiathos where the FO 'speed mumbled' his way through the announcement at barely audible levels. He sounded like he was talking to a busy ATC instead of informing passengers on points of interest.
If any FD crew read this section, can you SPEAK SLOWER AND TURN THE VOLUME UP PLEASE !
I for one am very interested in what you have to say
Maybe I'm going deaf, but on the holiday flights I've been on over the past few years, the 'informative chat' from the flight deck has been virtually inaudible ! The most recent example was my return from Skiathos where the FO 'speed mumbled' his way through the announcement at barely audible levels. He sounded like he was talking to a busy ATC instead of informing passengers on points of interest.
If any FD crew read this section, can you SPEAK SLOWER AND TURN THE VOLUME UP PLEASE !
I for one am very interested in what you have to say
Between BHX and FRA it's invariably "Mumble, mumble, first officer, mumble, BRUSSELS, mumble, mumble, altitude in 000s of metres (meaningless outside the CIS)......."
Pretty pointless, mostly. And in the awful CRJ it's pointless AND painful through those rubbish speakers!
Pretty pointless, mostly. And in the awful CRJ it's pointless AND painful through those rubbish speakers!
'nough said
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Was on one of the new GB Airways buses recently - 'twas loud and clear, which was refreshing.
One thing's odd though, doesn't matter who you fly with the duty free message is always broadcast at 200db.
One thing's odd though, doesn't matter who you fly with the duty free message is always broadcast at 200db.
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It is always nice to hear what the CPT/FO has to say about the flight, I look forward to it in a way when I fly. 
I was impressed with the announcements on my recent flights with Hapag-Lloyd Express of Germany. On both flights the F/O's made very detailed annonucements, telling you the departure runway, what our weight and take-off speed was, detailed routing information etc.
BAe 146
I was impressed with the announcements on my recent flights with Hapag-Lloyd Express of Germany. On both flights the F/O's made very detailed annonucements, telling you the departure runway, what our weight and take-off speed was, detailed routing information etc.
BAe 146
'nough said
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I recall Swissair (3-4 times I went with them) pilots always mentioned something technical about the aircraft - like wingspan, fuel load etc. That's when I found out that the wing is all one piece rather than a left and right piece stuck to the fuselage - can tell I'm just pax 
Most memorable announcement I heard from a Captain was a mention that the flight had an all female crew - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, but one (male) pax objected to it and insisted to be off-loaded - which he was, thus causing a huge delay as we had already pushed-back
So, I agree with BAe, keep them coming
Most memorable announcement I heard from a Captain was a mention that the flight had an all female crew - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, but one (male) pax objected to it and insisted to be off-loaded - which he was, thus causing a huge delay as we had already pushed-back
So, I agree with BAe, keep them coming
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There are several factors affecting Flight Crew infomational PA's which may affect the quality & volume:
Hope this helps
- Pilots being human, there are a range of attitudes amongst them to these PA's. Some hate doing them, others do them, but reluctantly ,others work to a standard template - others put real thought and effort in - each individual will decide upon their own level of contribution.
- Modern headsets and boom mikes can be very sensitive, and it can be easy to accidentally come out too loudly. PA volume is set by engineers, individually for each aircraft and then modified in some cases, on the flight deck. Some pilots are naturally quietly spoken, or loudly, and their workload at the time of the PA, may inhibit effective communication.
- It is difficult for pilots behind a locked flight deck door to appreciate the actual volume of their PA. While one speaks, the other listens out on the radio - If cabin crew call the flight deck to alert them to poor sound quality during a PA, it means that the other (non-PA) pilot has to come off the radio to listen to the Cabin Call (undesirable)
- Cabin Crew have a better appreciation of PA volume and sound quality, as they can hear themselves in the Cabin - therefore their announcements will usually tend to be clearer.
- Not all passengers enjoy or appreciate pilots PA's - strange, but true. Crew need to try and find a happy medium, which they do with greater, or lesser success
Hope this helps
I always find the BA announcements clear and informative. More so when we get the flight deck telling us which runways are to be used and so. Adds that bit of interest.
And the other week, coming from Venice to Gatwick, the Purser interrupted the safety briefing tape to tell the large number of PAX busy talking to shut up and listen! Done with adequate volume and very clearly. Good for her.
And the other week, coming from Venice to Gatwick, the Purser interrupted the safety briefing tape to tell the large number of PAX busy talking to shut up and listen! Done with adequate volume and very clearly. Good for her.
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IMHO I find that a lot of very experienced Skippers (and I guess therefore FO's) don't realise that if they leave their intercom on (757) while doing a PA it halves the volume output !!
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Had to classics from a BA pilot, he was talking over the PA and went onto say that BA had excellent cabin crew but sadly none of them were operating this flight and whilst taxing to our stand at LGW we were passing under the new bridge or walkway there and he went onto say 'we are passing under the new walkway here at LGW, we are the first passenger jet to go under, so we'll find out if we fit when we get out the other side'
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BAe 146-100
I was impressed with the announcements on my recent flights with Hapag-Lloyd Express of Germany. On both flights the F/O's made very detailed annonucements, telling you the departure runway, what our weight and take-off speed was, detailed routing information etc.
Sounds like he forgot to switch off PA when going through checklists
I was impressed with the announcements on my recent flights with Hapag-Lloyd Express of Germany. On both flights the F/O's made very detailed annonucements, telling you the departure runway, what our weight and take-off speed was, detailed routing information etc.
Sounds like he forgot to switch off PA when going through checklists
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BAE - sounds like a plane spotters paradise, but a passenger's nightmare ! We have one skipper who does those sort of PA's, even reads the ATIS with the info letter and the QNH! I curl up in a ball and pretend it isnt happening.....
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At the gate:
mumble mumble mumble expected flight time 2 hours 5 minutes mumble mumble mumble weather is nice with 20 degrees and sunshine mumble mumble.
In the air:
mumble mumble mumble we expect to land in 45 minutes mumble mumble mumble
(The mumble mumble bit is my personal filter
)
UNLESS the chaps up front got something interesting to say like "ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost a wing".
mumble mumble mumble expected flight time 2 hours 5 minutes mumble mumble mumble weather is nice with 20 degrees and sunshine mumble mumble.
In the air:
mumble mumble mumble we expect to land in 45 minutes mumble mumble mumble
(The mumble mumble bit is my personal filter
)UNLESS the chaps up front got something interesting to say like "ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost a wing".
Peter Ustinov told a story of the night he was flying with Lufthansa and had just finished dinner, when the Captain announced on the PA; "Ladies und Chentlemen, I am pleased to announce that I have managed to rrre-gain contrrol"
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I consider myself a frequent flyer as I am a pax about once a week on average, and I too like to hear a little info from the flight deck, even if I have heard it before.
I think that in general terms BA is better at this than anyone else, with a good balance of humour and seriousness in the PAs, keeping the pax up to date if there are problems etc. what the route is and expected weather at destination converted into normal speak, not just taken directly off of the TAF/METAR.
And not the mumble ...mumble.....I dont really want to say any of this.....mumble... that you get on some airlines all the time.
I would also like to congratulate any FD crew that looks out of the window when the wx is excellent to tell pax what a certain ground feature is - for example the AF crew on a AMS-BOD flight mentioned being over Paris the other night when it was perfect vis and looked really beautiful - I noticed even the hardened business pax taking a peek across the other side of the aircraft!!
Just my two penny worth, but especially on short haul, a little interest from up front is noticed and apreciated by me,
Regards, SD..
I think that in general terms BA is better at this than anyone else, with a good balance of humour and seriousness in the PAs, keeping the pax up to date if there are problems etc. what the route is and expected weather at destination converted into normal speak, not just taken directly off of the TAF/METAR.
And not the mumble ...mumble.....I dont really want to say any of this.....mumble... that you get on some airlines all the time.
I would also like to congratulate any FD crew that looks out of the window when the wx is excellent to tell pax what a certain ground feature is - for example the AF crew on a AMS-BOD flight mentioned being over Paris the other night when it was perfect vis and looked really beautiful - I noticed even the hardened business pax taking a peek across the other side of the aircraft!!
Just my two penny worth, but especially on short haul, a little interest from up front is noticed and apreciated by me,
Regards, SD..
Paxing All Over The World
Skydriller, I agree. Coming back from Rome t'other week with BA, they said that Paris was looking good, although I was on the wrong side.
Tightslot, thanks for the background. I think that one of the other probs that FD crew have is that they are used to talking to ATC, who also have headphones on and so they can speak more quietly. When it's time to talk to us, they have to adjust.
Not to mention that, if they are on turbo props, they are probably wearing noise cancelling 'phones and we in the cabin are not. I said, We in the cabin are not.
--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Tightslot, thanks for the background. I think that one of the other probs that FD crew have is that they are used to talking to ATC, who also have headphones on and so they can speak more quietly. When it's time to talk to us, they have to adjust.
Not to mention that, if they are on turbo props, they are probably wearing noise cancelling 'phones and we in the cabin are not. I said, We in the cabin are not.
--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
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Our company's policy on the airbus is to use the (seperate) PA handset rather than the PA button on the radio panel. The former is much much quieter than the latter, so could be why some are loud and others not.
As for what the pilots say, it probably is partly to do with motivation - one Captain I know is so fed up with the company's attitude towards pilots that he no longer gives any PAs at all, which is a shame as his used to be the best.
We do get bored saying the same thing day in day out, but to be honest whenever I've flown as a passenger 99% of the people aren't interested. We often have "quizzes" in the cabin, where people have to answer something, with the answer having already been given out on the PA and most people can't answer it.
As for what the pilots say, it probably is partly to do with motivation - one Captain I know is so fed up with the company's attitude towards pilots that he no longer gives any PAs at all, which is a shame as his used to be the best.
We do get bored saying the same thing day in day out, but to be honest whenever I've flown as a passenger 99% of the people aren't interested. We often have "quizzes" in the cabin, where people have to answer something, with the answer having already been given out on the PA and most people can't answer it.
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The funniest PA I've had in ages was from a keen CSA pilot, enroute to Prague earlier this year.
The flight time was announced as 1h15 (pretty swift) and he says "We're near a jet stream and we have a groundspeed of 950kmh, oh yes, 950kmh. This means we have a big wind and that means turbulence, oh yes there might be some turbulence all the way, so keep your seatbelts fastened when you are sitting and when we get to Prague, we will experience more turbulence during our approach."
By this time, about 20% of the pax were holding on to the arm rests like grim death ... and funnily enough, the entire flight was smooth as a millpond - and very fast
The dumbest has got to have been by a BA pilot, years ago, shortly after departure from LHR for LAX. After all the normal stuff, "There might be some turbulence over Canada, about 7 hours into the flight." Again, iut was as smooth as a millpond, but why even announce the possibility 7 hours in advance, when some pax may be nervous
The flight time was announced as 1h15 (pretty swift) and he says "We're near a jet stream and we have a groundspeed of 950kmh, oh yes, 950kmh. This means we have a big wind and that means turbulence, oh yes there might be some turbulence all the way, so keep your seatbelts fastened when you are sitting and when we get to Prague, we will experience more turbulence during our approach."
By this time, about 20% of the pax were holding on to the arm rests like grim death ... and funnily enough, the entire flight was smooth as a millpond - and very fast
The dumbest has got to have been by a BA pilot, years ago, shortly after departure from LHR for LAX. After all the normal stuff, "There might be some turbulence over Canada, about 7 hours into the flight." Again, iut was as smooth as a millpond, but why even announce the possibility 7 hours in advance, when some pax may be nervous
'nough said
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A few years ago as we approached EDI a BA pilot gave us a weather update "for those passengers sitting on the left hand-side it is cold, and of those on the right it is mindbogglingly cold!"
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Point out the sites of interest
I had to travel to Glasgow from Heathrow twice last week. The 2nd time I went, up the Captain or First Officer (can't remember who it was) was chatting away about the flight whilst taxing, and even took the time to point out the work on Terminal 5 for those on the right of the plane !
Its much better if the chaps up-the-front take the time to throw in some extra info - I know they are busy, but you spend enough time queueing up to take off at Heathrow anyway.
p.s. On the way back from Glasgow after landing at Heathrow, my 2 year-old daughter said "Thank you, Captain!" to the First-Officer. He beamed and said "Not yet, maybe in another 18 months" - Priceless.
p.p.s. Quick question for the pilots - on one on the flights the landing was an absolute greaser - hardly felt the wheels touch the runway - is it acceptable to say 'good landing' to the F/O on the way out ? [Note : if he hammered six inches into the concrete I'd keep my trap shut].
Its much better if the chaps up-the-front take the time to throw in some extra info - I know they are busy, but you spend enough time queueing up to take off at Heathrow anyway.
p.s. On the way back from Glasgow after landing at Heathrow, my 2 year-old daughter said "Thank you, Captain!" to the First-Officer. He beamed and said "Not yet, maybe in another 18 months" - Priceless.
p.p.s. Quick question for the pilots - on one on the flights the landing was an absolute greaser - hardly felt the wheels touch the runway - is it acceptable to say 'good landing' to the F/O on the way out ? [Note : if he hammered six inches into the concrete I'd keep my trap shut].