SAFETY BRIEFING - new BA safety briefing on YouTube

[Boris+]

Go and watch the new BA safety briefing on YouTube - it's brilliant. Everyone was fed up due to a delay on our flight, and when they started to say watch the flight safety video people didn't pay attention. BUT this was a 'new' safety video - and it quickly grabbed everyone's attention. There were plenty of giggles watching it, and it got a round of applause at the end!

I wonder if cruise lines would ever adopt such a method of doing the safety briefing at muster? I know that Celebrity use a video, so it must be possible on other cruise lines too.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've not seen that one before but in general on ships I think the voice of the captain has more authority. When we went on Calamity no one paid attention to the video. They just all kept talking very loudly

[Dancing Queen]

I've not seen that one before but in general on ships I think the voice of the captain has more authority. When we went on Calamity no one paid attention to the video. They just all kept talking very loudly

I agree Merv we found the same on Celebrity

I think the captains voice does have more authority, on a cruise a couple of years ago the norovirus was rife across all ships/lines .. as an addition to the safety briefing our captain was very precise in what he 'expected' of passengers with regard to hygiene and he repeated this on a daily basis at his noon announcement, we remained virus free and I'm sure it was to do with his authorative air.

[Boris+]

The purpose of the new BA video is firstly to get attention and keep it. In that regard it was a success. The second purpose is charity, and I object to that. Overall I thought it is a great idea. Many Captains on ships don't impress me one iota, many have foreign accents, and so people just don't pay attention. (We always do though).

Voice of authority- doesn't do anything for me. Captains etc should stick to their day job and not take up public speaking, nor annoy passengers. There are better ways of getting a message across.

[GillD46]

We saw it last week, it was very entertaining. Shame it's only short term.

[david63]

Rather than just mentioning it - can we have a link to it?

[Mervyn and Trish]

The purpose of the new BA video is firstly to get attention and keep it. In that regard it was a success. The second purpose is charity, and I object to that. Overall I thought it is a great idea. Many Captains on ships don't impress me one iota, many have foreign accents, and so people just don't pay attention. (We always do though).

Voice of authority- doesn't do anything for me. Captains etc should stick to their day job and not take up public speaking, nor annoy passengers. There are better ways of getting a message across.

Surely item number one in the Captain's job description is the safety of the ship and its passengers? And the muster briefing is an important part of that?

[GillD46]

Rather than just mentioning it - can we have a link to it?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G4i4G3-oLRQ

[wolfie]

Watching that once is OK, though I didn't find it even slightly amusing.

We have had some wonderful and amusing noon announcements by captains on many of our cruises; the first that comes to mind is the unforgettable Hamish Reid, one of many, though sadly in recent years the same cannot be said. Some first officers were also in the same mould.

[Boris+]

If muster IS "so important " why oh why don't cruise lines do something to at least get the attention of the audience and then hold onto that attention? The way the safety briefing is usually done, no wonder passengers ignore it at least, and at worst talk all the way through it then?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've never witnessed people talking through it on P&O. And we've done a few.

[oldbluefox]

I've never witnessed anyone talking through the safety briefing. It's always respected for what it is even if, for the majority, they have heard it many times before.

[wolfie]

Nor me, in response to the 2 previous posts, and we have heard it many, many, many times. Some silly video of over 6 minutes, with so called celebs, is not going to make it any more important. For us and I suppose, many others, the muster procedure reassures, as does the noon day announcement from the deck, especially when the latter is conveyed with some short sharp anecdote and a measure of amusement and lasting far less than 6+ minutes. The only problem with muster is finding a seat in some venues!!

[GillD46]

We must have been unlucky because, all too often, over the years we have witnessed passengers talking all the way through the safety briefing, on P&O, Cunard and most of the other lines we have cruised with. I know a few passenger, that unforgivably don't actually bother to even attend. Just two weeks ago, we often found it difficult to hear the midday announcement some days, because of the chatter.

So I do agree that something that just might hold the attention of those passengers that cannot be bothered to listen, can only be good!

[Boris+]

On ships I have most definitely heard people chatting during muster. Although, having heard the muster briefing many times, I still like to hear it and see what's different, whether it's general changes or differences between different ships. I will admit that on more than one occasion I've asked people to be quiet.

What I find annoying on aircraft though is passengers being so stupid, self centred and arrogant auto fiddle with phones, tablets and/ or laptops instead of paying attention to the safety briefing. It's not done just for them, but for the benefit and safety for all 'souls on board '. A crisis on a ship may play out over many hours, but a crisis on an aeroplane may not have that luxury, and people need to know what to do, how and when to do it. It's not a joke. Thinking about it, many of us can swim a bit, and hopefully survive in the water with a life jacket for a while until help comes. None of us can fly unaided.

[david63]

It would help on planes if during the safety briefing the crew looked interested - I know they do it several times a day, day in day out, but that is no excuse.

hopefully survive in the water with a life jacket for a while until help comes

About five minutes, at best if the water is not cold, is what the Royal Navy say.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I certainly agree on planes. Many people pay no attention. They're probably the same ones who are up in the aisle pulling bags out of lockers before the seat belt lights go out on landing.

[gilly88]

like most things, people always assume that it will not happen to them and the safety announcements are just a nuisance. even the crew are probably never going to encounter a serious evacuation, so will never have the experience of the panic that this will bring, both to the passengers, and to themselves (they are human after all ). so any thing that gets people attention and helps with a sense of calm can only be for the good. but I think the cruise lines have probably got the gravitas about right, most people will assume that the captain knows what he is talking about!! I hope.