The "Voice" in the Left Seat?
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The "Voice" in the Left Seat?
Interesting article in this weekend's FT from a frequent flyer:
FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - An air of confidence
I know from my own personal contact with many friends/family who are nervous flyers, the 1 thing that either "gets them on edge" or "relaxes them" is the P.A. from the Captain.
Not saying it is right or fair; just saying "it is what it is".
FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - An air of confidence
An air of confidence
By Tyler Brûlé
Published: July 25 2009 01:36 | Last updated: July 25 2009 01:36
What’s the sweetest sound to welcome you when you board a long-haul flight? Is it a flight attendant welcoming you by name? Is it a soothing soundtrack drifting out of the speakers? Perhaps it’s a silence that suggests there may not be a gaggle of screaming toddlers within earshot? Or what about the sucking thud of the door being closed on time?
My autumn work cycle kicked off on Sunday evening with a gentle jolt as I made the trek out to Heathrow to board a flight to Hong Kong. A typhoon passing through HK, along with generally stormy forecasts, had me on edge but then the most wonderful melody boomed through the aircraft: “Good evening ladies and gentleman. This is your captain speaking, and welcome to this Cathay Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong.”
While there was nothing particularly reassuring in this standard script, it was the plummy confidence of a captain who sounded as if he used to fly Phantoms for the RAF that allowed me to settle back. There was further relief as he named the first officer who’d be doing the flying. I think the name might have been Bruce or perhaps Wayne or maybe even Darryl – whatever it was, it was a name only Canadian or Aussie parents would choose. Confirmation came minutes later when some distinctly Canadian vowels exited the speaker telling the crew, “Seats for take-off.”
I’m not sure about you, dear reader, but the cockpit combo matters greatly to me. No question that big Boeings and Airbuses do many things on their own but it’s capable men and women who keep these generally gentle beasts not just stable in the skies but stop them from venturing down the wrong taxi-ways, steer them away from ghastly cloud formations and also inspire confidence in crew members and passengers alike.
At the risk of deluging the FT’s letters editor, give me a British captain at the controls, followed by a Canadian, Aussie, American, German or a Swede any day. My reasoning? English is the official language of the skies and if you’ve ever spent any time in a commercial cockpit – remember the good old days when you could sit in the jump-seat on oversold flights? – you’ll know how hairy it can get in the busy airspace approaching London, LA or New York, as controllers fire out routings, level changes and traffic alerts.
For my safety, sanity and money, I’d rather not have someone on the joystick who needs to ask twice or who gets a digit or two wrong while changing radio frequencies. And, dare I say it, there are simple cultural issues at play as well. Is it a coincidence that I once had an Italian pilot fly his MD-80 like a Tornado on approach to Pisa airport?
If you ever happen to find yourself at a hotel frequented by airline crews, then you might want to entertain and inform yourself by buying a round of drinks for some pilots one evening. You’ll find there’s a reason why there are wider approach margins in many countries and, no, it has nothing to do with technology. You’ll also find that countries with appalling highway safety records also have pilots with similar reputations at 35,000ft – and no, it’s not just RAF or RAAF pilots who’ll tell you this. The Swiss, Dutch, Kiwis and South Africans will all happily confirm that many Med-hugging nations have a “special” way of flying and that, for some airlines, a small prayer is part of their standard operating procedure.
As carriers great, small and just launching fight their way through balance sheets and try to figure out how to scrape a margin in an increasingly challenging civil aviation market, it does concern me how much board members and investors think about what their brand sounds like over the intercom.
On a recent flight back from Singapore, I had to struggle to pick up what the captain and the first officer were trying to convey. As the aircraft was fresh off the assembly line, I can assure you that there was no problem with the public address system, but the speakers’ accents left more than a few passengers confused as we were tossed about over the Bay of Bengal.
At this point I don’t care how well-groomed the flight attendants are, how expansive the menu, how chilled the champagne or how big the flat bed, the reason I’ve paid to fly on this particular carrier is safety and a polished service record. If I can’t understand what the hell the crew are trying to say, then all that money invested in advertising and marketing, slick paint jobs and a bulging order book for new aircraft means precious little.
Clearly, a world dominated by British, Australian and Canadian airline pilots is not an option but, as some of the bigger global carriers try to save money by hiring pilots from lower-wage markets, they need to think hard what this says about their brand image and how it plays to their most frequent and high-revenue passengers – most of whom are looking for safety, consistency and value over air miles and cheap fares.
Tyler Brûlé is editor-in-chief of Monocle
[email protected]
More columns at FT.com / Arts / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
By Tyler Brûlé
Published: July 25 2009 01:36 | Last updated: July 25 2009 01:36
What’s the sweetest sound to welcome you when you board a long-haul flight? Is it a flight attendant welcoming you by name? Is it a soothing soundtrack drifting out of the speakers? Perhaps it’s a silence that suggests there may not be a gaggle of screaming toddlers within earshot? Or what about the sucking thud of the door being closed on time?
My autumn work cycle kicked off on Sunday evening with a gentle jolt as I made the trek out to Heathrow to board a flight to Hong Kong. A typhoon passing through HK, along with generally stormy forecasts, had me on edge but then the most wonderful melody boomed through the aircraft: “Good evening ladies and gentleman. This is your captain speaking, and welcome to this Cathay Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong.”
While there was nothing particularly reassuring in this standard script, it was the plummy confidence of a captain who sounded as if he used to fly Phantoms for the RAF that allowed me to settle back. There was further relief as he named the first officer who’d be doing the flying. I think the name might have been Bruce or perhaps Wayne or maybe even Darryl – whatever it was, it was a name only Canadian or Aussie parents would choose. Confirmation came minutes later when some distinctly Canadian vowels exited the speaker telling the crew, “Seats for take-off.”
I’m not sure about you, dear reader, but the cockpit combo matters greatly to me. No question that big Boeings and Airbuses do many things on their own but it’s capable men and women who keep these generally gentle beasts not just stable in the skies but stop them from venturing down the wrong taxi-ways, steer them away from ghastly cloud formations and also inspire confidence in crew members and passengers alike.
At the risk of deluging the FT’s letters editor, give me a British captain at the controls, followed by a Canadian, Aussie, American, German or a Swede any day. My reasoning? English is the official language of the skies and if you’ve ever spent any time in a commercial cockpit – remember the good old days when you could sit in the jump-seat on oversold flights? – you’ll know how hairy it can get in the busy airspace approaching London, LA or New York, as controllers fire out routings, level changes and traffic alerts.
For my safety, sanity and money, I’d rather not have someone on the joystick who needs to ask twice or who gets a digit or two wrong while changing radio frequencies. And, dare I say it, there are simple cultural issues at play as well. Is it a coincidence that I once had an Italian pilot fly his MD-80 like a Tornado on approach to Pisa airport?
If you ever happen to find yourself at a hotel frequented by airline crews, then you might want to entertain and inform yourself by buying a round of drinks for some pilots one evening. You’ll find there’s a reason why there are wider approach margins in many countries and, no, it has nothing to do with technology. You’ll also find that countries with appalling highway safety records also have pilots with similar reputations at 35,000ft – and no, it’s not just RAF or RAAF pilots who’ll tell you this. The Swiss, Dutch, Kiwis and South Africans will all happily confirm that many Med-hugging nations have a “special” way of flying and that, for some airlines, a small prayer is part of their standard operating procedure.
As carriers great, small and just launching fight their way through balance sheets and try to figure out how to scrape a margin in an increasingly challenging civil aviation market, it does concern me how much board members and investors think about what their brand sounds like over the intercom.
On a recent flight back from Singapore, I had to struggle to pick up what the captain and the first officer were trying to convey. As the aircraft was fresh off the assembly line, I can assure you that there was no problem with the public address system, but the speakers’ accents left more than a few passengers confused as we were tossed about over the Bay of Bengal.
At this point I don’t care how well-groomed the flight attendants are, how expansive the menu, how chilled the champagne or how big the flat bed, the reason I’ve paid to fly on this particular carrier is safety and a polished service record. If I can’t understand what the hell the crew are trying to say, then all that money invested in advertising and marketing, slick paint jobs and a bulging order book for new aircraft means precious little.
Clearly, a world dominated by British, Australian and Canadian airline pilots is not an option but, as some of the bigger global carriers try to save money by hiring pilots from lower-wage markets, they need to think hard what this says about their brand image and how it plays to their most frequent and high-revenue passengers – most of whom are looking for safety, consistency and value over air miles and cheap fares.
Tyler Brûlé is editor-in-chief of Monocle
[email protected]
More columns at FT.com / Arts / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Not saying it is right or fair; just saying "it is what it is".
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Clearly, a world dominated by British, Australian and Canadian airline pilots is not an option....
The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.
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I think your comments in regard to confidence in the Captain and his offsiders are very true.
During my service with the RAAF, we had many captains who one would have flown to the end of the earth with. The profesional approach exhibited by these men, allowed us to carry out the tasks in a way that reflected on us all. After all the human response to a leader who is professional, with most of us at least, is to raise our own standards, to complement his.
Our aircraft towards the end were getting a little tired and out dated but the fact that six of them are now flying with the PAF and are considered to be the very best, shows that you do not have to have the latest to be professional.
It all about a team effort, a Captain who commands well earns the respect of all, and that not seem a too bad concept to build on.
Regards
Col
During my service with the RAAF, we had many captains who one would have flown to the end of the earth with. The profesional approach exhibited by these men, allowed us to carry out the tasks in a way that reflected on us all. After all the human response to a leader who is professional, with most of us at least, is to raise our own standards, to complement his.
Our aircraft towards the end were getting a little tired and out dated but the fact that six of them are now flying with the PAF and are considered to be the very best, shows that you do not have to have the latest to be professional.
It all about a team effort, a Captain who commands well earns the respect of all, and that not seem a too bad concept to build on.
Regards
Col
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You got that right.
The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.
The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.
In the days when Monitored Approach, and Cockpit Resource Management were but gleams in Safety Officers' eyes, I met a PanAm ( Ahhhhh! ) Captain who said, " PanAm has always flown a monitored approach " Oh Yes ?? " Yeah, I fly, he monitors "
He appeared to come from Texas, and had a large red neck.
Attitude comes naturally to some ( both good and bad I guess !! )
He appeared to come from Texas, and had a large red neck.
Attitude comes naturally to some ( both good and bad I guess !! )
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It's comfort zone stuff.
Captains should have grey hair for example.
But because it's comfort zone, it's different strokes for different folks.
First language Spanish or French, or born & bred S.E.Asia, and you might choose slightly different characteristics for "The Voice".
Captains should have grey hair for example.
But because it's comfort zone, it's different strokes for different folks.
First language Spanish or French, or born & bred S.E.Asia, and you might choose slightly different characteristics for "The Voice".
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Well, well, well. Every once in a while this forum can revert to the 1800s when the sun never set on the British Empire.
Maybe, for "colonials" we ought to have pre recorded PA's from the flight deck in an impeccable Eton/Oxford accent.Would that calm the fears of the great unwashed?
For the more discerning traveller,the Airline is probably more important than a calm British voice coming from the speakers. For instance, I would unhesitatingly step into a Singapore Airlines aircraft,knowing fully well that the Captain is probably, Chinese, Singaporean, Malsysian, Indian etc. but flies for a well run and managed airline.Besides, being "tossed about" over the Bay of Bengal can happen to any airline. I don't believe Mother Nature cares what flag you sport on the vertical stab.
If the writer of the article (editor in chief ,no less) does travel as much as he claims he does,it is wasted on him. Travel is supposed to broaden the mind.In his case it has had the opposite effect.
As to my American colleagues :I will take a bloody "rebel" any day over a bloody "colonial" in the cockpit.
Apparently, "redneck" is a state of mind.What's next? a nervous breakdown when you hear a ( by jove, Biggles ,can it be possible?) ---gasp--- a female voice from the flight deck? Very common here on this side of the pond, old chap, so steady on, stiff upper lip and all that if you are travelling in the US.
Alt3
Maybe, for "colonials" we ought to have pre recorded PA's from the flight deck in an impeccable Eton/Oxford accent.Would that calm the fears of the great unwashed?
For the more discerning traveller,the Airline is probably more important than a calm British voice coming from the speakers. For instance, I would unhesitatingly step into a Singapore Airlines aircraft,knowing fully well that the Captain is probably, Chinese, Singaporean, Malsysian, Indian etc. but flies for a well run and managed airline.Besides, being "tossed about" over the Bay of Bengal can happen to any airline. I don't believe Mother Nature cares what flag you sport on the vertical stab.
If the writer of the article (editor in chief ,no less) does travel as much as he claims he does,it is wasted on him. Travel is supposed to broaden the mind.In his case it has had the opposite effect.
As to my American colleagues :I will take a bloody "rebel" any day over a bloody "colonial" in the cockpit.
Apparently, "redneck" is a state of mind.What's next? a nervous breakdown when you hear a ( by jove, Biggles ,can it be possible?) ---gasp--- a female voice from the flight deck? Very common here on this side of the pond, old chap, so steady on, stiff upper lip and all that if you are travelling in the US.
Alt3
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Well, personally I think that the author of this article is a ****. I have never flown for RAF, RAAF, my accent does not even remotely resemble Canadnian (though I have ICAO level 6 English) and I come from what may be described as a lower wage market (not that I regret any of those - at least my country is famous for beautiful women and our pilots kicked the crap out of Germans during the Battle of Britain better then the RAF guys 
)
Is the above sufficient to consider me a sub-standard airline pilot?
)Is the above sufficient to consider me a sub-standard airline pilot?
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Quote:-
In the days when Monitored Approach, and Cockpit Resource Management were but gleams in Safety Officers' eyes, I met a PanAm ( Ahhhhh! ) Captain who said, " PanAm has always flown a monitored approach " Oh Yes ?? " Yeah, I fly, he monitors "
I seem to recall that exact statement...I wouldn't mind betting that it was said at Berlin, Templehof
In the days when Monitored Approach, and Cockpit Resource Management were but gleams in Safety Officers' eyes, I met a PanAm ( Ahhhhh! ) Captain who said, " PanAm has always flown a monitored approach " Oh Yes ?? " Yeah, I fly, he monitors "
I seem to recall that exact statement...I wouldn't mind betting that it was said at Berlin, Templehof
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at least my country is famous for beautiful women and our pilots kicked the crap out of Germans during the Battle of Britain better then the RAF guys
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I read all of Tyler Brule's columns and judging by what he has to say he does fly a lot, but I think the main goal of his columns is to provoke reaction.
Accordiing to Wikipeadia he is Canadian born, based in London and waxes lyrical about Scandinavia and Japan
Accordiing to Wikipeadia he is Canadian born, based in London and waxes lyrical about Scandinavia and Japan
Last edited by phineas; 26th Jul 2009 at 20:02. Reason: spelling
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The worst PA I've ever heard was an unintelligble rant by an Italian easyJet pilot who did not know what purpose the full stop serves. It caused utter bemusement for passengers. And I speak fluent Italian in case anyone calls me a monoglot!
'layeesanshemeneesverriimportanyouleesencarefooeydisannounce '
I speak fluent Spanish and it sometimes takes me a few minutes to work out which language they are murdering at any given time as the Spanish is usually just as appalling as the English.
Iberia .... shabby, dirty, cramped 'planes, poor timekeeping, and the rudest staff, scruffy and insolent, both on the ground and in the air that I've encountered in 30 years of short and longhaul flying. I have a wide range of experience with them and other carriers. Their employees seem to be specially trained to make every part of the experience as miserable as possible. I should add that this is by no means typically Spanish, and I suspect that Iberia has a training academy to instil the very un-Spanish qualities of nastiness and rudeness into its staff.
Add to that, that when anything goes wrong, and you're lucky if it doesn't, it is dealt with in the worst possible way. Their customer relations department is, by its own admission, too busy to answer complaints within an acceptable time scale.
They treat passengers who don’t speak Spanish with even more contempt than those who do. When I tried to intervene on behalf of an English speaking family who had missed their connection, the monoglot ticket agent at Madrid Airport told me that they were (roughly translated) ‘stupid as ****’ (‘unos tontos de mierda’ was the phrase used) for not speaking Spanish.
Most of their cabin crew, particularly on the long hauls to South and Central America, where they have little competition, are bitter and twisted battle-scarred veterans waiting to retire. One gets the impression that the airline is run for the convenience of its staff and their friends travelling on rebated tickets.
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Oh bugrit. We were thinking of a holiday in Argentina and Iberia are one of the airlines used. The other is Aereolinias Argentinio or how the hell you spell it. I think they are a bit the same aren't they?
Anyone comment please.
Anyone comment please.
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Aerolineas Argentinas manage to achieve the considerable distinction of being even worse than Iberia, and that takes some doing.
Their cabin crew are less surly and unhelpful, and their food is better, but their aircraft interiors are in a shocking state, at least they were when I used to fly with them, which was quite frequently, but several years ago. Also their timekeeping was appalling. From what I've heard, nothing has improved.
If I had the choice of IB or AR I'd go IB, but if there was almost any other option (except for Air Comet who are even worse, I'm not sure if they still operate down to BUE anyway) I'd go for that.
If you're travelling on airline industry tickets, you will probably find Iberia treat you better than they treat fare paying passengers.
Their cabin crew are less surly and unhelpful, and their food is better, but their aircraft interiors are in a shocking state, at least they were when I used to fly with them, which was quite frequently, but several years ago. Also their timekeeping was appalling. From what I've heard, nothing has improved.
If I had the choice of IB or AR I'd go IB, but if there was almost any other option (except for Air Comet who are even worse, I'm not sure if they still operate down to BUE anyway) I'd go for that.
If you're travelling on airline industry tickets, you will probably find Iberia treat you better than they treat fare paying passengers.
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About 10 years ago I was flying from one of the Gulf states to Aden on a local carrier. Probably fair to say I was the only European on board. Flight deck announcements all in Arabic but translated here (mostly):
'Good morning Ladies and Gentleman this is your Captain Moh'd Al Jaafar. We shall be taking off shortly for .....pause ughhh Aden. Our flight time will be mmmmmm about 1 hr 45 minutes and we will be arriving at arrrrrrrrrr 1130, ins'allah'.
'Good morning Ladies and Gentleman this is your Captain Moh'd Al Jaafar. We shall be taking off shortly for .....pause ughhh Aden. Our flight time will be mmmmmm about 1 hr 45 minutes and we will be arriving at arrrrrrrrrr 1130, ins'allah'.
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Is it the English or the accent?
It is the accent that seems to put the editor in chief of as he has missed out some other english speaking nations that do a perfectly good job communicating.
I agree that travel is meant to broaden horizons, but it seems this dim wit is more comfotable converting everything into the yeter year colonial empire.
Sorry to inform him the sun set on the british empire long ago, and give me a good nuetral accent speakng english over some of the cockney crp that rolls out from parts of england.
I agree that travel is meant to broaden horizons, but it seems this dim wit is more comfotable converting everything into the yeter year colonial empire.
Sorry to inform him the sun set on the british empire long ago, and give me a good nuetral accent speakng english over some of the cockney crp that rolls out from parts of england.