Passenger Safety Brief
 

Are airlines checked on the quality and effectiveness of their passenger briefs?

I just flew on Easyjet and while the brief was standard it was also wholly ineffective. First there was about 5 minutes of PA in a miscellany of European languages before we got the English version with CS demonstrating the moves.

I was in row 13 and could only see the CS at the front of the aircraft by leaning out into the aisle. Those seated in centre and outside had no chance whatever. I guess less than a quarter of passengers had any chance of catching any of the brief.

Better if the CS, having done the brief and demo walked down the aisle wearing the life vest and demonstrating the oxygen mask as they went.

There is also a Safety Card in the seat pocket or inside the inflight magazine or on the back of the seat in front. All of the safety information covered in the Demonstration and more is detailed on these cards and can be understood by everyone regardless of language spoken. If a passenger feels they missed some or all of the demonstration the safety card should be looked at. Either way everyone should always read the safety card and in the majority of cases most demonstrations begin with the line ' Please study the saftety card in the seat pocket....' :ugh:

Ax

Thank you PN, at least I now got to the point why Air France CCs walk down the aisle wearing the life vest and showing the "safety instruction card in the seat pocket in front of you".

Ciao
Ulxima

Surely, if someone misses the safety brief, they need to be briefed.

If a pax arrives after the brief, the CC will brief them.

What is the difference with someone who could not hear or see?

Most pax don't care about the safety briefing and (in some countries at least) pray as the aircraft is departing.

Those who missed the briefing can ask the FAs (if not covered in the safety card.

Rwy in Sight

So what? The briefing is not provided because the pax like it.

If a pax arrives late, the CC give a safety briefing to them, why don't they let the pax ask the CC instead?

Well I do.

May be the brief should be in two parts.

"Those who have not listened to the safety brief are to remain in their seats in the event of an emergency until rescue teams tell them they may leave."

"Those who have listened to the the brief may leave by the nearest suitable exit.":}

Once we had one particular crew memeber who resolutely refused to learn the escape drills. He said it was our job to look after him. Yeah, right.

PN Are you partially sighted? I ask not to be funny but so far quite a lot of the "standard" EZY safety brief seems to have passed you by.

Sitting at row 13 I can appreciate it would be difficult to see the crew member demonstrating at row one......thats why we put one in the middle of the cabin as well. Quite near to where you sat in fact!

The Oxygen mask is demonstrated by dropping the mask one side and pointing to the ceiling panels opposite by both crew members......again by the one standing very near you as well. If you missed that you could have looked in the safety card in your seat pocket. You are told to study this by the SCCM reading the demo.

If you had any questions you could have asked one of the CC securing the cabin....the ones wearing the bright yellow lifejackets that you also seem to have missed :rolleyes:

Of course if you are registered blind it your responsibility to inform the CC. It then becomes our responsibility to brief you seperatly in accordance with CAA regulations. And yes airlines are checked on their safety procedures in accordance with the AOC.

FYI EZY is a UK registered company so therefore required to do the demo in english. We play a tape in the language of the country we are flying from/to as a courtesy to our multi national customers. We don't always have time to do this downroute if the taxi is short and we certainly would not be playing a "miscellany" of foreign tapes in five minutes anywhere......just one can go on for as long as this.

If you think the standard of EZY's safety briefs are "wholly ineffective" I would suggest you contact the safety group at the CAA who will investigate.

In my experience the only time a safety brief is ineffective is when pax talk/read or sleep their way through it :=

F3G Late pax and seperate briefings? On lufty maybe but on EZY if your late we don't wait :eek:

The only brief you would get is on the next flight ;)

I thought the demo was done after the doors were closed. Does that not mean that there is no chance of anyone else joining the flight?

6

6Chimes

My point to F3G exactly :ok: If your late you won't catch it on that flight.

LCD :)

Honestly guys, I sometimes roll my eyes :sad: when you post that we pax do not understand your operations and then you give a lecture that fails to take into account anything outside your narrow frame of reference.

I'll give you a clue, why would an airline open the door to accept a passenger?

Think about it.

According to you lot, it is one of the reasons why you should check boarding passes at the door.

A bit of joined up thinking please......

I have seen this happen several times over the years.

PN,

You and most PPRuNers are the exceptions. From my experience pax's don't care for the instruction and you can see this next time you travel check how many people look at the safety brief.

Hava a look at safety cards, airline safety, illustration, evacuation, instructions, procedures, Airtoons - index and see what people make of the safety brief. (sorry I don't know how to insert a link properly),

F3G you must travel much more than me because when I travel, the crew make the announcement as the aircraft starts to move under its own power.

In any case if you care either ask the crew or read the safety card.

Rwy in Sight

I do about 100-120 sectors per year, how about you?

In the past year I have seen safety briefs

• Before pushback
• After pushback
• starting before take off and completed in the climb (suspended during take off)
• Entirely during the climb
• Not given at all (after an intermediate stop)

You need to get out more ;)

How dare you even hint that F3G may be wrong, you should know by now that the CC do extra briefs for him personally at any stage of the flight. It's a special service for seat 1A and those whose sector count has reached three digits.

I don't travel as much as I used to before retirement but have not had a safety brief at any time other than after push back and before take off.
:sad:

F3G is right about the variation in briefings but he missed one:

On a puddle-jumper out of St Louis last October with 5 of us onboard. "Guy's, the card's in the pocket. I'll be round with sodas after takeoff."

F3G says,

"You need to get out more "

and limit my PPRuNe time. This is not going to happen any time soon.

For the record I do about 25 sectors a year and practically all are boring with an exception of one to BEY last year where I had reasons to pay close attention to a female F/A. I stop the discussion here because we will end in the Jet Blast.

However on all flights the briefing was given after the aircraft started moving and we have never stop to collect any one on the road to the threshold.

You would agree that most PAX don't follow the brief very closely for varying reasons and the card has much more information.


Rwy in Sight

PS I like Big Airlines.

F3G, apologies. I didn't mean to imply anyone's ignorance. I was referring to the question based on a UK carrier and not as the post asked; All airlines although my response was based around the observation on an EZY flight.

I suspect that you fly an awful lot with non CAA vetted carriers, where standards may vary, not necessarily less just different.

I can only comment from my own experience and my airline. We cannot take off unless the demo has been completed and all cabin checks completed. If we did we would all be sacked.

Yes I've had cause to return to stand on numerous occasions, never though have we let another pax on.

6

Hey 6

Just a bit of banter, no offence taken at dolly and your coments :ok: Hope none the other way either.

The circumstance causing the arrival post briefing is of course pax who boarded the wrong flight, so the airline wants to board them and opens up. I've only seen it before leaving stand, never a return to collect them.

Some airlines do brief before pushback, especially if there is a short taxi to a quiet active.

The other examples are disgraceful and the crew should be sacked, but as you quite rightly say these are not CAA vetted (although some names might surprise you, others not.)

However, some of the other stuff I have seen would make your hair stand on end :eek:

Finally, I was on a flight last October, where we had the safety brief (via video) 3 times, once before take off, once during takeoff and during the climb and finally in the climb - it got pretty boring :}

I can't say that I find the safety card particularly helpful or particularly informative. I always stop reading, change glasses and watch the safety breifing, but I am fed up with that bl**dy rabbit the blasted kid drops every time on the BA briefing. And then the hostess picks it up and doesn't smack the stupid little wotsit round the lug'ole!

Slightly amusing is the instruction about turning off electronic equipment. They don't mention pacemakers and hearing aids, both of which these days may well have radio transmitters in them - as may insulin pumps, and other medical implants.

I am getting seriously concerned about the quality of PA announcements. The sound quality is poor on some and the command of clear spoken English by some CC is poor. I use Easyjet and Flybe as recent examples of the latter.

What would happen in a real emergency when we are being instructed by someone who we cannot understand gives me the shivers.

IMHO Easyjet's briefings are far clearer than those of Ryanair, especially when the crew member actually making the briefing is of Spanish (previous Air Futura wetleasing) or Eastern European origin.

All EZY and FR safety briefings are after pushback, once the Captain has been given clearance for taxing.

Don't people in the UK pay enough tax already? :mad:

Why do you think electronic equipment needs to be switched off for T/O and landing?

A mobile phone, ipod, laptop or walkman (do they still exist?) in use during an emergency would hinder not only that passenger but people around him/her as well.

Pacemakers and hearing aids on the other hand would greatly help said passenger to get out in case of a mishap.

The reason for nearly all these rules (not listening to your ipod, dimming cabin lights for night T/O, opening window blinds, etc) is 'because if we crash we want you to be able to get out'. Maybe those words should actually be included in the briefing, although this might be seen as a bit too confrontational.

FR safety briefings are done from a tape. Don't know what other airlines do.

Don't know about EZY, but at FR the CC start the briefing as soon as the doors have been closed. This might well be before or during the push back, and has nothing to do with the captain receiving clearance to taxi.

Regards

IRR (FR Captain)

See what happens is, they cut costs in order to provide cheap tickets, to cut costs they cut wages, as a result they get a lower quality of employee (often not always). Cheap tickets equal reduced safety standards. It is the way with engineering and flight crew as well. If there was a minimum ticket price per Nm it would improve safety.
Growth would slow, but there would still be growth.

IRR you took the words right off my keyboard :ok:

We do the same as you. Demo as doors closed and slides armed. Just in case the SLF has to vacate via these whilst we are waiting to push back.

Personally I feel we should use more direct language to draw pax attention to the contents of the safety brief and it's purpose. We have a Captain who when he does his intro says " Please play close attention to the safety instructions given by the CC. It is given for your benefit not theirs and could save your life one day, hopefiully not today".

May not be strictly standard but it sure gets the pax attention!!

As pax (or SLF if you prefer) for over 30 years I always pay attention to the safety briefing. Apart from the obvious safety knowledge aspect it shows courtesy to the FA giving it. It doesn't matter if you have had the same briefing many times before and it only takes literally a couple of minutes of your time. I would think that any normal person with a normally polite demeanor would do the same. The others just don't matter (unless they get in my way should there be an emergency :E).

The comment from Final 3 Greens, I think, refers jokingly to the spelling of "taxiing." Taxing is something completely different as he implies. (I think some spell it "taxying" which is still incorrect).

There's a FODCOM out which is relevant to this thread.....

FODCOM about safety briefings

posted in the interests of wide dissemination.........

I agree with JWP, it is only polite to pay attention to the safety briefing, although like the seatbelt sign, on many US airlines, it seems to be optional.

I'm well aware of why electronic equipment should be switched off for T/O and landing, and why no radio transmitters should be used in flight. But with modern hearing aids, pacemakers, insulin pumps and other implants, it may not be possible. Fortunately, the powers are so low that interference to A/C systems is improbable. I suspect ICAO haven't caught on yet to the fact that these devices have transmitters in them: it took them some time to classify pacemakers as hazardous cargo because of some in the early 1980s with plutonium batteries. There have been none of those manufactured for at least twenty years, but pacemakers are still classed as hazardous cargo.

LCD, your post is quite uncalled for and will not endear you to management when I follow up with a letter.

I probably have more hours than you and have certainly written more passenger briefs than you.

Certainly there was a second CS posted near me but unless I wished to crane backward I could certainly not see her as she stood by row 15.

Your remarks are equally misplaced as had the brief passed me by I would not have even made this post. I read the card assiguously and am pleased to say that it was quite comprehensive and accurate: some are not.

As well as a walk-down brief I would also ask you to consider a separate brief for those sitting by the emergency exits, especially as there is no easy access by trained CS to the overwing exits.

I will reserve any further response pending your reply.

Quite. Been there, done that. Mrs PN is required to wear running shoes and not heels.

Friend of mine. A320 Captain, would have banned any passenger not properly shod or wearing trousers. Flip flops and shorts from Costa Notalotika should never have been allowed to fly out of UK in the first place.

Good for you, but when you get a bit pompous, you expose yourself to a side-swipe.

I hope that your letter and the briefs that you write are in better English than your post.

At my age I am entitled to be pompous. What advice would you offer?

Here's one or two to go along with, I'll leave you to find the rest....

meaningless cliche

You'll do what? Are you seriously proposing to write to her management to point out the error of her ways in a Pprune post? (OK, not bad English, that one. Just a very strange thing to say on an anonymous forum.)

To crane is a transitive verb. Crane what? Your head? Your left leg? Your d........ no, let's stop this. And in my book, backward is an adjective, backwards is the adverb you meant to use. But perhaps usage has changed that.

Equal to what? What was previously described as misplaced?

Are you talking about a lawyer wandering about in the cabin? Or a mobile piece of laminated card running up and down?

Is this something to do with assegais? It's the best I can do with that word. Do you wave one around while reading the briefing card? Some kind of look-at-me signal?

OK, the English is OK, but every single time I have bagged the overwing exit seat I have been carefully briefed on how to open it. That's on a number of airlines including the main UK ones.

As in reserve a seat? Reserve a spot in heaven? How does one reserve a further response? What is a "further" response, anyway? One that's further away than the last one?


Oh God, I need to get out more. You did ask. And I'm even more entitled to be pompous, so I am.

10 Downing St ... he's a self-proclaimed Navigator, not a MA in English.

Why is it that our generation [yes, I'm one as well] feel the need to pick at individuals' spelling and grammar and literacy? We are all, inevitably, candidates for the British Pompous Team at the next Pompouslympics.

Now, where were we? Oh, yes, Safety Briefings. The OH always has the window seat, and I have the aisle seat. I have enough difficulty seeing the briefing; she, being shorter and somewhat obscured by the intervening seats, can see little. Oh, FRABJOUS JOY ... here in the seat back before me is a pretty laminated card, explaining everything in pictures.

So, do either of us give a sh1t? Nope. :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

taxing

---

:\:D:D

Sorry!

Oh and just one GENUINE question, because I've had a problem understanding the safety card about evacuation by using the slides ............. are ladies supposed to remove all footwear or just high heels that might snag the slide on descent?

Oh dear PN we are just going to have to agree to differ on this one.

My post was totally justified. You came onto a worldwide public forum and trashed the safety brief of a well respected UK carrier as "wholly ineffective" (your words). That's a serious accusation potentially damaging to EZY's reputation and this is not the place to make it. I directed you to the CAA who oversee the AOC. If you are that concerned (rather than just having a rant) these are the people you should be talking too.

In the meantime please feel free to write to EZY management. Be sure to mention the second demonstrating CC was at Row 15 as you overlooked to mention that in your OP as indeed you forgot to mention the aircraft type as well. On the 319 the CC should be at Row 1 and Row 13. No doubt a NTC will be circulated to remind crew of this if that was the plane you travelled on.

So I should give "consideration" to doing a seperate overwing exit brief? That wouldn't be the one a fully trained member of CC does up to 4 times a day to pax sitting at these exits would it? It goes along the lines of:

"Just to make you aware you are sitting by the emergency exits. These are self help exits and in the event of an emergency occuring you would be required to operate them. Please can I draw your attention to the operating instructions (pointing to location of these) and please make sure you look at your safety card before departure. Are you still happy to sit here?"

Also consideration is given on every flight to the suitability of the pax sitting there to fulfil this function.

Just for the record my own personal opinion is that all safety briefs should be done by video as pax seem to take far more notice of these anyway and they are easier to see. However when EZY want my opinion they give it to me ;)

LCD, 'wholly ineffective' simply because the majority of pax could not see the brief even had they wanted to, not because the brief itself was not comprehensive.

As i was sitting in row 13 I know that no brief was given to anyone sitting in rows 12 or 13. I also know that one of the rows was passenger blocked if you know what I mean.

The CC were most particular about stowage of stuff in the overheads rather than on the floor.

Other than the ineffective brief, and that is an airline issue, not a CC issue, the flight was well run and extremely comfortable. I shall make special note of what happens on my return flight today.

I could write to Kingsway but it may be more directed if I write to the company first.

IRRenewal

As we have a FR top man here.

Is there any chance you boys could turn up your announcements? I would say 30% are inaudible in the cabin. (100 sectors usually ex-Bristol)

The safety brief is always clear and loud so the system itself seems effective.

As we are on the topic of safety - if you were to announce "evacuate evacuate" i'm not sure anyone would hear it.

Smala01

PN I will rephrase my "feel free" to write to EZY management to "please do". No overwing brief would be taken very seriously and fully investigated

It is standard operating procedure for all pax sitting at the self help exits to be briefed before take off by a fully trained CC member.

I am an EZY SCCM and had this not happened on my flight I would have wanted to know at the time rather than read about it on here. That way I can address this at the time by briefing the pax myself and addressing the oversight of the crew member concerned directly with them.

I hope you never see this, or any other failure of SOP's again but if you do please do ask to see the operating SCCM. We can only put things right at the time if we know about it. I would welcome this from any pax at any time :ok: