[6stringmerc]

Having many, many years of travel experience leads me to one Occam's Razor type observation:

If people would actually pay attention to a safety briefing instead of playing with their gadgets / not taking off their headphones, then the flight crew wouldn't be trying so hard to get the attention of the passengers.

With this unpopular opinion, I'll see myself out the nearest exit, which is actually located behind me.

[3pt14159]

Dude, I'm only 29 and I've flown in about 50 or 60 flights. I don't need to hear that I should put on my own oxygen mask before helping a toddler yet again. I get why they do it every flight, but I certainly don't need to pay attention.

[6stringmerc]

Yeah, but do you pull out the airplane schematic to familiarize yourself with the layout of the airplane you're riding in? Serious question: Without looking it up on your travel itenerary, can you honestly tell me what make/model airplane you last flew on? I can, because I read the pamphlet, which gives me knowledge that could save my life, but if you don't want to live to see 30, that's your perogative...but it's the law you have to listen to flight crew, even if you don't want to interrupt your Instagram surfing.

[spdustin]

Not to argue with your point as a whole - that apathy that leads to risk to others is a bad thing - but...

Yeah, I've looked at the pamphlets on the hundreds and hundreds of flights I've been on. I've sat in the emergency row, first class, back galley, you name it on dozens of models of aircraft.

Within a few moments of taking my seat, I know where my nearest exit is, and I know how to open it in an emergency because nearly all commercial aircraft doors open the same way. I know from a quick reach-under that the vest is still there, and that they're designed to be of obvious function with their large handle for self-inflation and the tubes for manual inflation.

I don't need to be told to grab for an oxygen mask before it falls - I would posit that it's instinctual, even as a parent, so that I am better equipped to help my fellow passengers (or my kids if they're with me) and so that my action can set an example for those that don't know what to do. All the seats of all the planes I've been on in the past ten years or so have been able to be used as flotation devices.

I'm not saying that these things are common knowledge. "Noobs" should listen. But "veterans" shouldn't be assaulted with high volume, or assumed to be shirking their duties as fellow passengers if they respectfully mind their own business during the safety announcement.

Talk during the announcement? Shut the hell up, you're messing with the learning of someone else, and you're going to cause others to talk over it. Quietly play Bejeweled while wearing headphones during the announcement? I'll assume you've "been there" and "done that" often enough to not be a liability to the rest of us if something goes wrong.

Incidentally, when told about the exits by the flight attendant, do NOT ask "in the event of an unexpected landing event, am I authorized to escape via the twisted, burning, gaping hole in the aircraft?" They don't find that amusing.

[dothething]

Yeah, but do you pull out the airplane flight control manual to familiarize yourself with the flight controls of the airplane you're riding in? Serious question: Without looking it up on your travel itenerary, can you honestly tell me how to fly the make/model airplane you last flew on? I can, because I read the manual, which gives me knowledge that could save my life, but if you don't want to live to see 30, that's your perogative...but it's the law you have to listen to flight crew, even if you don't want to interrupt your aircraft identifying.

[gergles]

It's the law they have to talk. It's not the law you have to listen.

[MichaelGG]

Is there any indication the safety announcements are effective? The fact they dedicate so much time to taking about smoking makes me doubt they are evidence based. United's 787s have a no smoking sign built in to every single seat, at eye level.

I suppose it's possible that they fly places that have such a strong smoking culture that this is an important and useful reminder, but that seems doubtful.

Which makes me call into question the rest of the announcements.

Though, I've found United's new safety video to be so well done, I watch it every time despite having seen it dozens of times already.

[sokoloff]

They are effective in complying with the relevant law: http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.519 which specifically requires an oral briefing on "when, where, and under what circumstances smoking is prohibited".

Don't fault the airlines for complying with the law.

[MichaelGG]

I'm faulting the actual presentation and behavior, regardless of who is ultimately to blame. If the law requires wasting everyone's time and attention with so much no smoking signs, then it's probable it wastes effort on other things, too.

[ekimekim]

I make a point of tuning in for the actual safety part then switching to my personal music again when they start waffling on about the company slogan and wishing a good flight a dozen times.

[6stringmerc]

Have you noticed a change to include "no vaping" as well? The briefings do change with the times. Before lobbying / tantrum throwing gadget junkies allowed devices to be on non-stop, there were times when they were permitted to be on or off, and that was part of the briefing. As you might be able to tell, I tend to pay attention in spite of having heard them time and again, because thankfully I'm an infrequent flyer these days.

[MichaelGG]

No, and FAs seemed to be of uncertain opinion if vaping was covered, although I only asked on one flight. Probably from a don't-be-rude perspective, it'd not be a good idea. Certainly the risk of fire isn't there.

There's still a fair amount of time dedicated to talking about "airplane mode". Which can simply not be a safety issue, as it'd be a trivial attack vector for malicious passengers to use. Or, if it is a safety factor, it just further illustrates the security theater.

[aleh]

Some people are better at noticing visual signs, some react only to what they are being told. Smoking on board is really dangerous, so why to take risks?

[mixmastamyk]

Hard to believe but it was done heavily on flights until the 70's or 80's or so. Though disgusting, it is unlikely to be that dangerous.

[MichaelGG]

Because there's a cost in attention. What's the rate of people just lighting up to smoke on a flight? What about the rate of people tampering with or disabling smoke detectors? Is there reason to believe that in the last, say, 5 years, there's been any case of that warning preventing someone from disabling a smoke detector?

I'm also not convinced that accidental smoking on board is that dangerous. Because if it were, then we'd be far more interested in stopping people from boarding with such equipment. I'm hoping aircraft today are capable of handling a small fire, the kind that might happen anyways, like from batteries exploding.

Same reasoning for using electronics - if they had been that dangerous, any bad person could just ship a box of phones with a wake up alarm set and watch planes crash.

[sukilot]

Occam's (and Halon's) razor says that volume is set to an arbitrary default ("loud " == "audible") and no one cares to change it. It boggles that any other option is in consideration. In airline has done actual measurements of attention vs volume.

[guelo]

Except the safety briefings are a useless bureaucratic formality. We don't need to hear them.

[wycats]

They're very useful for infrequent (or first-time) travelers, but pointless for frequent travelers.

[marcosdumay]

They may save your life.

But yeah, fligh companies do not think they are important enough to bother their customers over them. They do the bare minimum required, and if you don't want to pay attention, they don't care.

[6stringmerc]

...apparently more people do need to hear them and pay attention, particularly to the part of "Always keep your safety belt fastened when seated" because I've seen plenty of news lately of violent turbulence and passengers being thrown around because they didn't pay attention and follow the instructions they are legally obligated to follow...which is why no personal injury lawsuit regarding unintended turbulence for an un-buckled in passenger will ever win, near as I can tell.