easyJet safety briefing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
easyJet safety briefing
I flew back to the UK with easyJet a few days ago.
In his pre-flight announcement, the captain made a point of stating quite assertively that it was his legal responsibility to ensure that passengers paid full attention to the safety demonstration and would they kindly do so. He made the announcement in such a manner that the passengers seated around me looked up almost in amazement.
My question is this: is there some kind of company-wide policy being implemented via captains to get passengers to listen to the announcement, or was it simply that this pilot is just so irritated with passengers not listening?
In his pre-flight announcement, the captain made a point of stating quite assertively that it was his legal responsibility to ensure that passengers paid full attention to the safety demonstration and would they kindly do so. He made the announcement in such a manner that the passengers seated around me looked up almost in amazement.
My question is this: is there some kind of company-wide policy being implemented via captains to get passengers to listen to the announcement, or was it simply that this pilot is just so irritated with passengers not listening?
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In transit
Age: 70
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can only say : "good for him."
I imagine his cabin crew would echo that. It must be utterly infuriating for CC to make those announcements to the background of a cacophony of babbling passengers and people with their noses stuck into books or newspapers. It's not only rude and disrespectful but poses the question as to how those passengers would cope in the event of an emergency. Their ignorance puts everyone at greater risk.
I imagine his cabin crew would echo that. It must be utterly infuriating for CC to make those announcements to the background of a cacophony of babbling passengers and people with their noses stuck into books or newspapers. It's not only rude and disrespectful but poses the question as to how those passengers would cope in the event of an emergency. Their ignorance puts everyone at greater risk.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are only so many times that you can tell your frequent flyers something with which they become familiar. Find the nearest door, where's the life jacket, good to go....
I think you're calling us morons really....
a cacophony of babbling passengers and people with their noses stuck into books
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: earth
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Skipness One Echo, you said it...
I am a Boeing 737 First officer, have been now for 3 years. Guess what, every and I mean EVERY flight I do, both legs, the Captain and I review the emergency procedures, before 80 Kts, After 80kts, emergency turn, cabin altitude warning horn .
I know it off by heart, I can recite in while asleep, the Captains I fly with have more flying hours than you or any other 'Frequent flyer' will ever have.
We do it so it is fresh in our heads for the day the s
it hits the fan.
But your newspaper is far more important and you know more about aviation than I do.
God I hate people with your attitude.
I am a Boeing 737 First officer, have been now for 3 years. Guess what, every and I mean EVERY flight I do, both legs, the Captain and I review the emergency procedures, before 80 Kts, After 80kts, emergency turn, cabin altitude warning horn .
I know it off by heart, I can recite in while asleep, the Captains I fly with have more flying hours than you or any other 'Frequent flyer' will ever have.
We do it so it is fresh in our heads for the day the s
it hits the fan. But your newspaper is far more important and you know more about aviation than I do.
God I hate people with your attitude.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<I think you're calling us morons really....>>
If the caps fits..... My wife and I are among the few weirdoes who pay very careful attention. Our lives could depend on it..
If the caps fits..... My wife and I are among the few weirdoes who pay very careful attention. Our lives could depend on it..
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In transit
Age: 70
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll add something else to this. I'm flying easyJet later this week, and if the Captain is assertive in insisting that the safety announcements are listened to, then it's another point in favour of the airline.
Many passengers are morons, or seem to lose 90% of their brain power when they get to an airport, and I make no apology for saying so. I have had someone sit next to me who didn't know how to open the seat belt. I have had someone next to me on a JNB-NBO-ATH, as we approached NBO, ask me: "Are we still in South Africa?" When I showed her the map in the inflight mag, of Africa and S. Europe, she asked me : "Is this the whole world?"
When I asked her if she'd heard of 'America' she replied that maybe it was too small to be marked.
I rest my case.
Many passengers are morons, or seem to lose 90% of their brain power when they get to an airport, and I make no apology for saying so. I have had someone sit next to me who didn't know how to open the seat belt. I have had someone next to me on a JNB-NBO-ATH, as we approached NBO, ask me: "Are we still in South Africa?" When I showed her the map in the inflight mag, of Africa and S. Europe, she asked me : "Is this the whole world?"
When I asked her if she'd heard of 'America' she replied that maybe it was too small to be marked.
I rest my case.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: In a house
Age: 39
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At the end of the day if you seem to know everything thats great feel free to read or look out the window. I don't mind if people dont want to watch/listen.
But try to remember that when the hit's the fan there are only 4 crew members on the 319 and there are 156 seats, we will not have time to help you or come and hold your hand. We will want to get you out as quickly as possible so we can get out aswell!
Don't get me wrong I'm sure there are thousands of people who could repeat the demo word for word, but come on it takes 5 minutes to do, is it really hard to just refresh yourselves?
But try to remember that when the
hit's the fan there are only 4 crew members on the 319 and there are 156 seats, we will not have time to help you or come and hold your hand. We will want to get you out as quickly as possible so we can get out aswell!Don't get me wrong I'm sure there are thousands of people who could repeat the demo word for word, but come on it takes 5 minutes to do, is it really hard to just refresh yourselves?
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: East Midlands
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Listen to the safety brief, no mater what the captain sais, simple! The Cabin Crew are trained to follow the Crew brief! It is not rocket science!
The Captain is in control of the whole ship, but the Cabin Crew are in charge of the cabin evecuation if it all goes Pete Tong.................
Learn the voice that briefs you, imagine it shouting GO BACK GO BACK..............
If a paper reading **** is sat in the emergency exit row, (extra leg room) refusing to pay attention to the brief, ding the call bell, ask them to brief the whole cabin!
Bored
The Captain is in control of the whole ship, but the Cabin Crew are in charge of the cabin evecuation if it all goes Pete Tong.................
Learn the voice that briefs you, imagine it shouting GO BACK GO BACK..............
If a paper reading **** is sat in the emergency exit row, (extra leg room) refusing to pay attention to the brief, ding the call bell, ask them to brief the whole cabin!
Bored
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: .
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In fairness to skipness he is probably one of the handful pax who actually do take an interest in what goes on with aircraft. He probably really doesn't have to be told.
The problem is skipness we have to work with the lowest common denominator. That being brain dead half wits who can't tie their own shoelaces. Believe me, we get them onboard!!!! We have to brief the whole cabin together and at the half wit level.
The problem arises when said half wits look around and see people who look like they have a brain (they assume this as you are not reading a red top paper) not listening so they think they don't need to either. This emergency exit brief doesn't matter. Back to the b00bs in my mag.
Whenever I fly down the back I will always put my paper down and pay attention. I really don't need to be told how to put on a life jacket and how to open an overwing slide but I do this for 2 reasons.
1) Out of professional courtesy to the CC. They are carrying out the legal requirement to brief me.
2) In the vain hope that other people will see me do this and then listen!
Skipness I would politely ask that next time you are on board, fly the aviation flag and spare a few seconds of your time to listen and help set the standard (if you don't already do!!). Although you know, others don't. Try and get them to listen as your life might depend on it!
In answer to your original question nicolas49 there has been no change to emphasise the importance of the safety brief. Its something we have always done. Some more insistent then others!
Capetonian, I would be very surprised if the point is not made on your flight about the safety brief. At the very minimum there will be a polite but firm request to listen as its for everyone's benefit. At the other end of the scale you might be told there will be a test after the brief and if you don't pass you will be off-loaded!!!
The problem is skipness we have to work with the lowest common denominator. That being brain dead half wits who can't tie their own shoelaces. Believe me, we get them onboard!!!! We have to brief the whole cabin together and at the half wit level.
The problem arises when said half wits look around and see people who look like they have a brain (they assume this as you are not reading a red top paper) not listening so they think they don't need to either. This emergency exit brief doesn't matter. Back to the b00bs in my mag.
Whenever I fly down the back I will always put my paper down and pay attention. I really don't need to be told how to put on a life jacket and how to open an overwing slide but I do this for 2 reasons.
1) Out of professional courtesy to the CC. They are carrying out the legal requirement to brief me.
2) In the vain hope that other people will see me do this and then listen!
Skipness I would politely ask that next time you are on board, fly the aviation flag and spare a few seconds of your time to listen and help set the standard (if you don't already do!!). Although you know, others don't. Try and get them to listen as your life might depend on it!
In answer to your original question nicolas49 there has been no change to emphasise the importance of the safety brief. Its something we have always done. Some more insistent then others!
Capetonian, I would be very surprised if the point is not made on your flight about the safety brief. At the very minimum there will be a polite but firm request to listen as its for everyone's benefit. At the other end of the scale you might be told there will be a test after the brief and if you don't pass you will be off-loaded!!!
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The point you are trying to convey to the passengers is that we do this every day as well, and every day before every take off we brief each other as to the procedures we will likely adopt in the event of various types of emergency. The primary reason for doing this, is that it places those procedures into the front of each others short term memory. This is extremely useful in avoiding the reliance on instinctive behaviour that might otherwise result in high stress situations, when such action might be undesirable.
An example that is often given is the use of seatbelts in the cabin. Who doesn't know to fasten and unfasten a seatbelt? Except that the seatbelt 99% of people are instinctivly used to fastening and unfastening is the one they use everyday, in their car. Guess what, it operates in a different manner. In periods of high stress, without a recent refresher, it has frequently happened that evacuations have been impeded by passengers fumbling to find the buckle, while they look down the side of their seat for it!
There is a balance that has to be struck, between conveying a measured dose of important and correct information, and not putting the fear of God into people unnecessarily. Unfortunetaly this is often a balancing act that is not easy to achieve. Many Captains will use their own authority to also impress the need to to pay attention to what is a routine announcement, because it is so important. A serious emergency is a relatively rare event, but even then, most are perfectly survivable if all the participants are properly briefed, aware, and have their wits about them. No crewmember and no Commander wants to be haunted by the knowledge that an individual suffocated or burned to death because they were allowed to ignore something so simple and fundamental whilst under their charge.
An example that is often given is the use of seatbelts in the cabin. Who doesn't know to fasten and unfasten a seatbelt? Except that the seatbelt 99% of people are instinctivly used to fastening and unfastening is the one they use everyday, in their car. Guess what, it operates in a different manner. In periods of high stress, without a recent refresher, it has frequently happened that evacuations have been impeded by passengers fumbling to find the buckle, while they look down the side of their seat for it!
There is a balance that has to be struck, between conveying a measured dose of important and correct information, and not putting the fear of God into people unnecessarily. Unfortunetaly this is often a balancing act that is not easy to achieve. Many Captains will use their own authority to also impress the need to to pay attention to what is a routine announcement, because it is so important. A serious emergency is a relatively rare event, but even then, most are perfectly survivable if all the participants are properly briefed, aware, and have their wits about them. No crewmember and no Commander wants to be haunted by the knowledge that an individual suffocated or burned to death because they were allowed to ignore something so simple and fundamental whilst under their charge.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lanzarote/Butuan/Southern Yorkshire
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
I like to think I know as much about aircraft as possible, but only as a passenger. I have flown on many types from small Cherokee´s through Islanders, Caravelles, Mercures, Viscounts, DC3´s and most of the Boeing and Airbus types. Even 2 Boeing 757´s can have different set-ups onboard.
I watch every demo and look for my exit route. I am afraid that anyone sat between me and that exit that doesn´t watch the demo is mine for the taking. While they sit and wonder I will be scrambling over them, no intention of helping them. They should have helped themselves by watching the demo.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
I watch every demo and look for my exit route. I am afraid that anyone sat between me and that exit that doesn´t watch the demo is mine for the taking. While they sit and wonder I will be scrambling over them, no intention of helping them. They should have helped themselves by watching the demo.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: LGW
Age: 51
Posts: 539
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I will just add that on a flight that I operated as Senior Cabin Crew with easyJet, I had 3 positioning crew seated at Row 1 ABC who were sat directly opposite me as I read the safety briefing over the PA.
We had in 1C a Captain, 1B a First Officer and 1A a Senior Cabin Crew Member, throughout the first part of the safety brief they were sat there giggleing then they started talking very loudly and my acidic looks didn't shut them up. So I released the push to talk button on my PA handset and said to them "Excuse me! You three should know better - pay attention or move to another seat!" they looked positively shocked at my response but the passengers seated on rows nearby gave me a thumbs up and nodded in agreement to what I had said.
I continued reading the rest of the safety brief and then started the cabin secure. The SCCM in 1A still had their mobile phone switched on during taxii out (it rung as we were approaching the runway threshold), the First Officer in 1B didn't know how to do up his seat belt and was reaching over his shoulders for the shoulder harness!!! The Captain in 1C sat there in silence looking sheepish because he was feeling embarassed with the fact that his two positioning colleagues had been caught out.
Whilst they were positioning in their civvies I knew they were crew because they made a big fuss during boarding of showing their airside passes and saying "If you need any help in an emergency, let us know!".
Now for the worst part of this story, they were positioning easyJet crew! (I will just add though, the vast majority of crew positioning - be they easyJet or any other airline will at the very least be quiet during the demonstration so that passengers nearby have the opportunity to see and hear what is being demonstrated. The three in my story were the exception to this usual rule).
We had in 1C a Captain, 1B a First Officer and 1A a Senior Cabin Crew Member, throughout the first part of the safety brief they were sat there giggleing then they started talking very loudly and my acidic looks didn't shut them up. So I released the push to talk button on my PA handset and said to them "Excuse me! You three should know better - pay attention or move to another seat!" they looked positively shocked at my response but the passengers seated on rows nearby gave me a thumbs up and nodded in agreement to what I had said.
I continued reading the rest of the safety brief and then started the cabin secure. The SCCM in 1A still had their mobile phone switched on during taxii out (it rung as we were approaching the runway threshold), the First Officer in 1B didn't know how to do up his seat belt and was reaching over his shoulders for the shoulder harness!!! The Captain in 1C sat there in silence looking sheepish because he was feeling embarassed with the fact that his two positioning colleagues had been caught out.
Whilst they were positioning in their civvies I knew they were crew because they made a big fuss during boarding of showing their airside passes and saying "If you need any help in an emergency, let us know!".
Now for the worst part of this story, they were positioning easyJet crew! (I will just add though, the vast majority of crew positioning - be they easyJet or any other airline will at the very least be quiet during the demonstration so that passengers nearby have the opportunity to see and hear what is being demonstrated. The three in my story were the exception to this usual rule).
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think you're calling us morons really....
Well maybe or maybe not. However, it has been proven that in an emergency evacuation, many passenegers have been unable to get out of their seats because in their panic to get out, they cannot open their seatbelts because they revert to using the muscle memory for undoing their car seatbelts, so they fry in their seats.
This will obviously hinder other passengers, who did watch the safety demo and therefore have it fresh in their minds how to do this simple task.
Your air crew are very knowledgable about such matters, so perhaps you can see why they would like everyone to pay attention to the demo.
Well maybe or maybe not. However, it has been proven that in an emergency evacuation, many passenegers have been unable to get out of their seats because in their panic to get out, they cannot open their seatbelts because they revert to using the muscle memory for undoing their car seatbelts, so they fry in their seats.
This will obviously hinder other passengers, who did watch the safety demo and therefore have it fresh in their minds how to do this simple task.
Your air crew are very knowledgable about such matters, so perhaps you can see why they would like everyone to pay attention to the demo.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brussels
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think that the real problem is : how many passengers don't understand the language spoken by the cabin crew when they make the safety briefing ?
I recently flew Charleroi-Pescara on an OnAir flight flown by Blue Air.
The safety briefing was made in heavily Romanian accentuated English, when most of the passengers spoke only Italian and/or French or Dutch.
How many of them understood the briefing ? I am prepared to bet : not one in ten. And, quite naturally, they stopped listening after the first sentence ...
I recently flew Charleroi-Pescara on an OnAir flight flown by Blue Air.
The safety briefing was made in heavily Romanian accentuated English, when most of the passengers spoke only Italian and/or French or Dutch.
How many of them understood the briefing ? I am prepared to bet : not one in ten. And, quite naturally, they stopped listening after the first sentence ...
Gender Faculty Specialist
Which is why it is also a demonstration and not just spoken word. The safety card, which is also demonstrated(!), is pictorial and, therefore, the excuse of a language barrier is, in my opinion, a weak one.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Durham/UK
Age: 66
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I watch every demo and look for my exit route. I am afraid that anyone sat between me and that exit that doesn´t watch the demo is mine for the taking. While they sit and wonder I will be scrambling over them, no intention of helping them
For the sake of a few minutes of attention from all pax and a modicum of courtesy from 'frequent flyers' who 'know' the procedures - it really isn't too much to ask is it?
