Safety videos.. love ’em or hate em? Airlines have worked on different ways to get our attention for the crucial minutes of the safety briefing. Qantas last year launched a new video featuring real Australians sharing real activities and scenes from Australia. I loved last year’s video which I saw 40 times (yes I have that info recorded!). Apparently another 35 million people also watched this safety video aboard Qantas planes through 2016.
Today February 1, 2017, sees the launch of the Qantas Safety Video 2017!
I have been fortunate enough to have visited 14 of the 16 locations featured in the video. They are ones marked with an asterisk in the list below. Click on the map for an interactive google map where you can zoom in on the location:
- The video starts at St Kilda Pier* with a young woman welcoming passengers to Qantas and introducing the video
- The video switches 1200km north to the Hunter Valley* where a Hot Air Balloon pilot introduces the type of aircraft passengers are flying on
- At the Q1 Building* in Surfers Paradise, the Seatbelt announcement is made by Daniel, a window washer*
- Melbourne* Fashion Show with Melbourne fashion designer Daniel Avakian and models demonstrating how to fit and use the Oxygen mask
- A yacht on Sydney Harbour* features a Yacht Captain showing where to find and how to use the lifejacket
- On a platform on Cape Banks*, the amazing Bangara Dance company demonstrate through dance the Emergency Brace position. The location is at the entrance of Botany Bay, a spot at which the first peoples of Australia would have first seen the British Captain James Cook arrive in 1770.
- A wedding in Kings Park in Perth* is used to show the emergency exits which I found most jarring. The locale does nicely show off the stunning park views over the Swan River.
- The Field of Light* at Uluru* is a perfect place to explain about the lights that guide passengers to the exit
- Mt Ainslie*, in the capital Canberra*, which I have stood on many times to see the city lights, sunrise, sunset and the stars, is the base for using the stars to illustrate the emergency exits
- On Moreton Island, the third largest sand island in the world, a Dad and Son demonstrate emergency evacuations by sliding down a sand dune
- The vibrant atmosphere of the far northern city of Darwin’s Mindil Beach Markets* introduces us to a fire twirler who explains about no smoking (and no fire twirling) on board. I still love last year’s no smoking instructions given by
- Hobart’s Salamanca Market* –my apple man shows the cabin baggage stowage (I have been buying apples from him and his wife for years -whenever I am at these markets)
- Cape Hillsborough National Park in northern Australia has my favourite character of the video, Sharon — a cleaner from the local caravan park explains about switching off electronic devices and what to do if you lose yours on board
- A skier at Mt Hotham Ski Fields* reminds people to check their seat and table position and to check the safety card in the seat pocket
- Barossa Valley Winery*, where bizarrely a young man advises us about deep vein thrombosis information in the Qantas magazine
- At Port Lincoln Airport in South Australia, QantasLink crew member Carmel is dropped off by her partner who watches her plane take off. Carmel reminds us to listen to crew member instructions and welcomes passengers to the “Spirit of Australia“. By this time, any Aussies returning from a trip overseas will have tears in their eyes.
Some people have expressed concern that at six minutes 21 seconds, the video is too long to keep attention or that people will get sick of it. I can’t agree! It will keep my attention for my next 40 flights and I may even memorise the words like last years ad!
In 2016, Middle Eastern Airlines and Oman Air also introduced similar safety videos. I am not aware of other airlines doing so – yet.
So what do you think?
- Will you watch all of the Qantas safety video?
- Will it help you remember the safety procedure or distract you from them.
- How many of the locations have you personally visited?
- How many do you want to visit?
(Hanky= Handkerchief)
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Qantas obviously put a lot of effort into making the safety video, kudos for their creative way to combine the mundane topic of safety procedures with unique Aussie places to visit. Visited Sydney and Melbourne (and New Zealand) in Oct/Nov last year, absolutely loved Sydney (had a very brief stay in Melbourne). Would love to see more of Australia if we can save up more miles and vacation time. Qantas A380s are a nice ride.