Commentary: Japan Airlines ‘miracle escape’ is precisely why passengers should listen to safety briefings

HOW TO GET PASSENGERS TO PAY ATTENTION

Perhaps one way to get passengers to pay more attention to safety briefings is to make them more interesting.

Singapore Airlines’ in-flight safety video, which was produced in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and features famous spots across the island, is quite interesting to watch. As is Air Canada’s Disney-themed video and British Airways’, which features Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa, rapper Little Simz and tennis player Emma Raducanu.

In a nod to digital technology, Korean Air’s latest inflight video released on Jan 4 features virtual humans.

“We intend to change perceptions of inflight safety videos with these new ideas, and make them more relatable and engaging for passengers,” said a Korean Air representative.

Still, with the exception of videos, there has been little change in how safety information has been presented to passengers. How can airlines get creative to entice passengers to leave their devices for five minutes to pay attention to a safety briefing?

For crew members, training and testing are increasingly being done in cabin simulators to replicate the conditions they may encounter during an evacuation. Could a similar 3D simulation be created for passengers? How about an interactive app or touchscreen display to make safety instructions clearer and more fun?

Passengers who take cabin safety briefings seriously are more likely to remain calm during an emergency. The key is getting the message across first.

Alison Jenner is Supervising Editor at CNA Digital where she oversees commentaries.