Stuff happens
mjindra
290 Posts
A little long, but worth reading . . .
Thanks to a retired Alaska Airlines Captain for sending this "paraphrase" of
a memorable safety PA from their Flight Attendants. In his own words:
"I was flying to San Francisco from Seattle this weekend, and the flight
attendant reading the flight safety information had the whole plane looking
at each other like 'what the heck?' (Getting Seattle people to look at each
other is an accomplishment.) So once we got airborne, I took out my laptop
and typed up what she said so I wouldn't forget. I've left out a few parts
I'm sure, but this is most of it."
Before takeoff ...
"Hello, and welcome to Alaska Flight 438 to San Francisco. If you're going
to San Francisco, you're in the right place. If you're not going to San
Francisco, you're about to have a really long evening.
"We'd like to tell you now about some important safety features of this
aircraft. The most important safety feature we have aboard this plane is ..
The Flight Attendants. Please look at one now.
"There are 5 exits aboard this plane: 2 at the front, 2 over the wings, and
one out the plane's rear end. If you're seated in one of the exit rows,
please do not store your bags by your feet. That would be a really bad
idea.
Please take a moment and look around and find the nearest exit. Count the
rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event that the need arises
to find one, trust me, you'll be glad you did. We have pretty blinking
lights on the floor that will blink in the direction of the exits. White
ones along the normal rows, and pretty red ones at the exit rows.
"In the event of a loss of cabin pressure these baggy things will drop down
over your head. You stick it over your nose and mouth like the flight
attendant is doing now. The bag won't inflate, but there's oxygen there,
promise. If you are sitting next to a small child, or someone who is acting
like a small child, please do us all a favor and put on your mask first. If
you are traveling with two or more children, please take a moment now to
decide which one is your favorite. Help that one first, and then work your
way down.
"In the seat pocket in front of you is a pamphlet about the safety features
of this plane. I usually use it as a fan when I'm having my own personal
summer vacation. It makes a very good fan. It also has pretty pictures.
Please take it out and play with it now.
"Please take a moment now to make sure your seat belts are fastened low and
tight about your waist. To fasten the belt, insert the metal tab into the
buckle. To release, it's a pulley thing -- not a pushy thing like your car
because you're in an airplane -- HELLOOO!!
"There is no smoking in the cabin on this flight. There is also no smoking
in the lavatories. If we see smoke coming from the lavatories, we will
assume you are on fire and put you out. This is a free service we provide.
There are two smoking sections on this flight, one outside each wing exit.
We do have a movie in the smoking sections tonight ....
Hold on, let me check what it is. Oh here it is; the movie tonight is 'Gone
with the Wind.'
"In a moment we will be turning off the cabin lights, and it's going to get
really dark, really fast. If you're afraid of the dark, now would be a good
time to reach up and press the yellow button. The yellow button turns on
your reading light. Please don't press the orange button unless you
absolutely have to. The orange button is your seat ejection button.
"We're glad to have you with us on board this flight. Thank you for
choosing Alaska Air, and giving us your business and your money. If there's
anything we can do to make you more comfortable, please don't hesitate to
ask.
"If you all weren't strapped down, you would have given me a standing
ovation, wouldn't you?"
After landing ...
"Welcome to the San Francisco International Airport. Sorry about the bumpy
landing. It's not the captain's fault. It's not the copilot's fault. It's
the asphalt.
Please remain seated until the plane is parked at the gate. At no time in
history has a passenger beaten a plane to the gate. So please don't even
try. Please be careful opening the overhead bins because 'shift happens.'
Thanks to a retired Alaska Airlines Captain for sending this "paraphrase" of
a memorable safety PA from their Flight Attendants. In his own words:
"I was flying to San Francisco from Seattle this weekend, and the flight
attendant reading the flight safety information had the whole plane looking
at each other like 'what the heck?' (Getting Seattle people to look at each
other is an accomplishment.) So once we got airborne, I took out my laptop
and typed up what she said so I wouldn't forget. I've left out a few parts
I'm sure, but this is most of it."
Before takeoff ...
"Hello, and welcome to Alaska Flight 438 to San Francisco. If you're going
to San Francisco, you're in the right place. If you're not going to San
Francisco, you're about to have a really long evening.
"We'd like to tell you now about some important safety features of this
aircraft. The most important safety feature we have aboard this plane is ..
The Flight Attendants. Please look at one now.
"There are 5 exits aboard this plane: 2 at the front, 2 over the wings, and
one out the plane's rear end. If you're seated in one of the exit rows,
please do not store your bags by your feet. That would be a really bad
idea.
Please take a moment and look around and find the nearest exit. Count the
rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event that the need arises
to find one, trust me, you'll be glad you did. We have pretty blinking
lights on the floor that will blink in the direction of the exits. White
ones along the normal rows, and pretty red ones at the exit rows.
"In the event of a loss of cabin pressure these baggy things will drop down
over your head. You stick it over your nose and mouth like the flight
attendant is doing now. The bag won't inflate, but there's oxygen there,
promise. If you are sitting next to a small child, or someone who is acting
like a small child, please do us all a favor and put on your mask first. If
you are traveling with two or more children, please take a moment now to
decide which one is your favorite. Help that one first, and then work your
way down.
"In the seat pocket in front of you is a pamphlet about the safety features
of this plane. I usually use it as a fan when I'm having my own personal
summer vacation. It makes a very good fan. It also has pretty pictures.
Please take it out and play with it now.
"Please take a moment now to make sure your seat belts are fastened low and
tight about your waist. To fasten the belt, insert the metal tab into the
buckle. To release, it's a pulley thing -- not a pushy thing like your car
because you're in an airplane -- HELLOOO!!
"There is no smoking in the cabin on this flight. There is also no smoking
in the lavatories. If we see smoke coming from the lavatories, we will
assume you are on fire and put you out. This is a free service we provide.
There are two smoking sections on this flight, one outside each wing exit.
We do have a movie in the smoking sections tonight ....
Hold on, let me check what it is. Oh here it is; the movie tonight is 'Gone
with the Wind.'
"In a moment we will be turning off the cabin lights, and it's going to get
really dark, really fast. If you're afraid of the dark, now would be a good
time to reach up and press the yellow button. The yellow button turns on
your reading light. Please don't press the orange button unless you
absolutely have to. The orange button is your seat ejection button.
"We're glad to have you with us on board this flight. Thank you for
choosing Alaska Air, and giving us your business and your money. If there's
anything we can do to make you more comfortable, please don't hesitate to
ask.
"If you all weren't strapped down, you would have given me a standing
ovation, wouldn't you?"
After landing ...
"Welcome to the San Francisco International Airport. Sorry about the bumpy
landing. It's not the captain's fault. It's not the copilot's fault. It's
the asphalt.
Please remain seated until the plane is parked at the gate. At no time in
history has a passenger beaten a plane to the gate. So please don't even
try. Please be careful opening the overhead bins because 'shift happens.'
Comments
You know, I need to do something like this with the dry portions of our orientation presentations. I had six people nearly sound asleep this week. Talking about benefits does that to people... We were ready to remove the chairs and force them to stand.
That is very reminiscent of attendants I've heard on Southwest Airlines, but definitely a little more edgy. I like it. x:-)