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United Airlines Debuts New Onboard Safety Video
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More than a dozen United employees provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations of critical safety procedures
Video was filmed inside a life-sized, airplane-inspired sequential reaction machine designed to capture and keep the attention of even the most frequent travelers
CHICAGO, May 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United today debuted a new onboard safety video where more than a dozen United employees provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations of critical safety procedures. The video was filmed inside a life-sized, airplane-inspired sequential reaction machine, with a creative concept designed to capture and keep the attention of even the most frequent fliers. Development of the new video began in June 2023 and was inspired by the teams of United employees whose coordinated actions ensure the airline operates safely. The new video will debut on select aircraft starting May 25 and will roll out across the fleet over the summer.
"Safety is the foundation of everything we do at United," said Sasha Johnson, Vice President of Corporate Safety for United. "Safety starts with being prepared. We have ongoing, rigorous safety training for our crews. And we also make sure our customers know what to do in the event of an emergency. We are proud that our new safety video empowers passengers by giving them information and clear instructions."
United worked with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the development of the safety video beginning in October 2023 through March 2024 when the video was approved. This included multiple checkpoints along the production process, including review of the storyboard and script before filming even began to ensure the content met the FAA requirements.
United's New Safety Video by the Numbers
The new video – titled "Safety in Motion" – follows a ball as it makes its way through the sequential reaction machine, rolling and bouncing through airplane-inspired set-ups that include chutes, a snack cart and drink cup, seatbelts, windows, seats, directional signage and more as real United employees demonstrate key safety procedures. See here for a behind-the-scenes look.
"The safest safety video is one that passengers actively watch. Our creative concept was inspired by the idea of connection and the many moments of any given day that our employee work groups have to connect to be able to get thousands of flights off the ground and to their destinations safely," said Maggie Schmerin, Chief Advertising Officer for United. "We worked across the airline to ensure our new safety video clearly and succinctly communicates critical information in a way passengers can't help but watch – no matter their age, background or experience traveling."
- 171 customized versions of the safety video to accommodate United's 8 different aircraft types, 20 various seat configurations on those aircraft and 18 languages
- Ten months in the making – Creative development on the new video began in June 2023; filming took place in October 2023 and then the team spent the next five months on edits and translations before the March 2023 FAA approval
- 12 individual contraptions the ball passes through in the machine
- 17 employees from across the airline, including flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents, ramp service, tech operations, the network operations center and reservations
- More than 1,000 real dominoes
- A 100-year old song, "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin, that's been a consistent feature in United safety videos over the years
United Investments in Safety Training
"Safety in Motion" demonstrates key safety procedures, mandated to all U.S. airlines by the FAA and critical to passenger safety in case of an emergency. United features real employees in the video, who go through a regular schedule of updated training sessions throughout their United career. For example, the airline's pilots complete simulator training with instructors and evaluators every nine months and flight attendants refresh their qualifications every 18 months.
United recently opened a new 150,000 square-foot building at its Flight Training Center in Denver. Already the largest facility of its kind in the world, the Flight Training Center has eight total buildings, more than 700,000 square feet of training space and now has more than 52 state-of-the-art full-motion flight simulators – providing even more training capacity for the airline's 17,000 pilots.
Last year, United also expanded its largest Inflight Training Center, located in Houston, to include new classrooms, additional cabin and door trainers and a state-of-the-art aquatic center to practice the safe evacuation of the plane in the unlikely event of a water landing.
And since 2020, United requires pilots to participate in an annual Pilot Professional Development training. This full-day, interactive, in-person training exceeds FAA requirements and industry norms by mandating all pilots, not just captains, participate. The training also uses actual United case studies to ensure the airline's pilots excel in self-awareness, confidence, mentoring, and leadership. United worked closely with its Flight Training, Flight Standards and Aviation Safety teams plus ALPA in the 100 percent safety-focused curriculum.
For more information, visit united.com and download media assets here.
New Safety Video
#106
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#107
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I've noticed on all of my NEXT a/c over the past few weeks, I've been shown the new safety video (including NEXT 738/739). On non-NEXT a/c (specifically DTV 738/739), I've been shown Safety is Global consistently.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
#108
Join Date: Feb 2005
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I've noticed on all of my NEXT a/c over the past few weeks, I've been shown the new safety video (including NEXT 738/739). On non-NEXT a/c (specifically DTV 738/739), I've been shown Safety is Global consistently.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
I expect that around the end of this month the new video will get greater play on DTV aircraft -- though I have seen it once on a DTV 737 (I was paying particular attention to see if they left the "search for the behind the scenes" bit in on an aircraft with no way to search...that was omitted)
#109
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I've noticed on all of my NEXT a/c over the past few weeks, I've been shown the new safety video (including NEXT 738/739). On non-NEXT a/c (specifically DTV 738/739), I've been shown Safety is Global consistently.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
Is it a software update that makes it so only one video can be loaded on each plane at a time? Why can't they upload the new video on all a/c at once? Not complaining since I also prefer the old video, but it creates a consistency issue imo.
#112
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Two more annoyances I've found with the system that has the new safety video and the non-skippable ads: closed captions / subtitles are disabled after every PA, which requires re-opening the CC menu and reselecting your language each time; and if a PA runs during one of the non-skippable ads, the video just hangs in the middle of the ad, with the only remedy being close the video again and restart with the non-skippable ads.
They really did a job on the IFE with this update.
They really did a job on the IFE with this update.
#113
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#114
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But it's also offensive that they clearly spend a lot of money on a safety video that wastes our time and fails to succinctly deliver the important info.
#116
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Aye. Completely fail to see UA's logic behind not actually inflating the vest -nor have the actor/FA blow into the tubes- in the safety video.
Maybe it's a carry-over from the old way of FAs demonstrating these procedures live in the aisle[s]?
Obviously impractical to actually deploy it then, and unhygienic to blow into the tubes.
But for the video, are they worried someone sees that and would grab the life vest and deploy it and blow into it during normal flight after they saw it properly demonstrated in the safety video?
One of life's big -albeit not that important- mysteries!
Maybe it's a carry-over from the old way of FAs demonstrating these procedures live in the aisle[s]?
Obviously impractical to actually deploy it then, and unhygienic to blow into the tubes.
But for the video, are they worried someone sees that and would grab the life vest and deploy it and blow into it during normal flight after they saw it properly demonstrated in the safety video?
One of life's big -albeit not that important- mysteries!
#117
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Aye. Completely fail to see UA's logic behind not actually inflating the vest -nor have the actor/FA blow into the tubes- in the safety video.
Maybe it's a carry-over from the old way of FAs demonstrating these procedures live in the aisle?
Obviously impractical to actually deploy it then, and unhygienic to blow into the tubes.
But for the video, are they worried someone sees that and would grab the life vest and deploy it and blow into it during normal flight after they saw it properly demonstrated in the safety video?
One of life's big -albeit not that important- mysteries!
Maybe it's a carry-over from the old way of FAs demonstrating these procedures live in the aisle
Obviously impractical to actually deploy it then, and unhygienic to blow into the tubes.
But for the video, are they worried someone sees that and would grab the life vest and deploy it and blow into it during normal flight after they saw it properly demonstrated in the safety video?
One of life's big -albeit not that important- mysteries!
If they were to actually inflate the vest, some people might think it's OK to inflate before getting out of the airplane. The Turkish video is misleading in this way as the folks are all standing inside inflating. Bad idea.
#118
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Sounds weird but all the prior iterations were engaging enough (maybe because of the geographic references) that I knew them all by heart and can still see in my head the faces of all the FAs/performers, but this current one is so forgettable that even after 7 or 8 viewings, as I sit here in my living room today, I can't picture a single face. Just the stupid rolling ball.
#119
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Sounds weird but all the prior iterations were engaging enough (maybe because of the geographic references) that I knew them all by heart and can still see in my head the faces of all the FAs/performers, but this current one is so forgettable that even after 7 or 8 viewings, as I sit here in my living room today, I can't picture a single face. Just the stupid rolling ball.
Caucasian female pilot with the new pilot uniform (who I believe was also in the Emirates collaboration ad)
Black female FA with the new V-neck dress (bonus: she has a 5-year stone on her wing) [Seatbelt, oxygen mask, infant life vest]
Black male FA with the new men's uniform [Polaris shoulder belt, life vest]
Caucasian female FA with the new suit uniform (who is walking in place on the Travelator later in the video) [exit graphics, obey signs/crewmember instructions]
2 ground crew directing traffic to nowhere
Caucasian male FA with suit uniform [exit row ("ask the FA to be moved")/domino/exit lights and signage, preparation for take off]
Caucasian bald male gate agent ("Now Boarding", which is ironic since we are all on the plane), with a lady (supposedly from reservations dept) standing next to him who did not have a speaking role
The real offensive thing about that part is they are playing some sort of New Orleans variation of the execrable Gershwin music. It does not sound German at all.
But it's also offensive that they clearly spend a lot of money on a safety video that wastes our time and fails to succinctly deliver the important info.
But it's also offensive that they clearly spend a lot of money on a safety video that wastes our time and fails to succinctly deliver the important info.
Although, UA has been remixing Rhapsody in Blue in a variety of forms over the years. This is the Muzak® version.
Two more annoyances I've found with the system that has the new safety video and the non-skippable ads: closed captions / subtitles are disabled after every PA, which requires re-opening the CC menu and reselecting your language each time; and if a PA runs during one of the non-skippable ads, the video just hangs in the middle of the ad, with the only remedy being close the video again and restart with the non-skippable ads.
They really did a job on the IFE with this update.
They really did a job on the IFE with this update.
#120
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A forgotten point is the safety videos are not aimed at the frequent flyer, most whom ignore the video. And while UA pleas for all to watch, the principal target audience is the infrequent flyer and an video needs some gimmick to engage those flyers. A "just the facts, ma'am" video will be considered boring and not watched, We can debate if the moving blue ball is an effective gimmick for the infrequent flyer versus prior versions, but this is why airlines try to make these videos engaging / entertaining
The effectiveness of the video is not measured by a vote of FT.
The effectiveness of the video is not measured by a vote of FT.