Best & Most Memorable Airline Safety Videos

Over the years, we’ve seen airlines put an increasing amount of effort into their safety videos. In this post, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite airline safety videos, and then I’m curious to hear what safety videos you all like most.

Personally I love this avgeek kind of stuff, just as I’ve talked about my favorite airline boarding music and my favorite airline ad campaigns.

Why some airlines put effort into safety videos

On the most basic level, an airline safety video is intended to provide essential safety information that airlines legally have to cover. Back in the day, that seemed to be how airlines approached these videos — they were simple and to the point, without much pizzazz.

However, over time we’ve seen many airlines put an increasing amount of effort into safety videos, as they’ve viewed this as a great marketing opportunity. Why?

• Some larger airlines carry tens of millions of passengers per year, so that’s a lot of collective attention these safety videos are getting, and you might as well make it interesting and view it as a marketing opportunity
• Some airlines (like Air New Zealand) have become known for their safety videos, and these videos are sometimes even viewed tens of millions of times online, which shows you how interesting they’ve become
• For government owned airlines or airlines specifically serving one destination, we often see destination-themed videos, which highlight the beauty of a place, in hopes of getting people to visit
• From a safety perspective, making a safety video entertaining can be a great way to increase engagement in the video, and cause people to pay attention; then again, there’s a fine line there, because some videos are so over-the-top that they may be distracting

I’m always impressed when airlines put effort into their videos, though as you’d expect, people have wildly different takes on these concepts. For example, a video might be hilarious and entertaining if you only fly with an airline once, while if you’re a frequent flyer, it could be very annoying.

For that matter, there’s a question of whether these increasingly abstract videos are a net positive or not. Yes, they might get people to pay attention to the videos, but do people actually retain any of the safety information when it’s only recited as part of a comedy skit, dance routine, etc.?

My favorite airline safety videos

I thought it would be fun to look at some of the most memorable safety videos that we’ve seen over the years. I’m not just looking at current ones, but also ones that played in the past. Furthermore, I’m not saying I’d necessarily love to watch these videos every day, but they’re each memorable for a different reason.

I’m sure I’m missing some great videos, so I’d love to hear from OMAAT readers as to what your favorite safety videos are. Below are my picks, in no particular order.

Air New Zealand safety videos

Any discussion about airline safety videos has to start with Air New Zealand, as the airline has put the most effort into these videos over the years. Pre-pandemic, the airline released at least one new safety video per year, and it was consistently quite a production.

My favorite Air New Zealand safety video was the one starring the late Betty White. She’s such a legend, and this video is humorous and engaging, without being annoying.

However, perhaps the most memorable and annoying Air New Zealand safety video is the one starring the late Richard Simmons, which is… quite something.

Meanwhile Air New Zealand’s most widely viewed safety video ever was the one that celebrated the final film in The Hobbit Trilogy. Since I never saw the movie and am not really a fan of The Hobbit, much of it was lost on me, but I know many people loved it.

Corendon safety video

In 2023, Corendon Dutch Airlines unveiled what might just be the funniest and raunchiest safety video I’ve ever seen. So much effort went into this, and the video has such a big cast. What’s amazing about this video is that it plays on a single route, between Amsterdam and Curaçao, which the airline operates with a leased World2Fly A350. This might just be the most effort I’ve ever seen put into a niche safety video.

Virgin America safety video

Virgin America ceased operations in 2018, when the airline merged with Alaska Airlines. However, the airline was very well known for its safety video, produced by Todrick Hall. Personally I found the video to be a bit much, but it sure is memorable.

Perhaps even more memorable was the flight attendant who reportedly danced to it on just about every flight…

Air India safety video

Air India has undergone quite the rebranding in recent years, and that includes trying to integrate more aspects of Indian culture into the guest experience. Along those lines, Air India’s safety video — “Safety Mudras” — is possibly the most lively, colorful, and energetic safety video that you’ll find on any airline. Admittedly I’m not that frequent of an Air India flyer, but the video has kept my attention every time that I’ve seen it.

Starlux Airlines safety video

Starlux Airlines has a bit of a space theme, and that extends to the carrier’s safety video, which is called “StarWonderers.” It’s an outrageously cute animated video that you can’t help but watch, given the amazing attention to detail.

Austrian Airlines safety video

Austrian Airlines has an incredible safety video that uses 3D animation techniques to reveal a miniature Austrian world hidden inside the cabin of an aircraft. Each scene of the safety video features an element that reflects a unique cultural aspect of Austria, from a yodeler, to coffeehouse pastries, to Vienna landmarks. This is just such a fun video, for kids and adults alike.

Turkish Airlines safety video

Several years ago, Turkish Airlines released a LEGO themed safety video, coinciding with the launch of the LEGO Movie. The attention to detail and theme of this is awesome.

Air France safety video

Air France’s safety video from several years ago was my favorite ever produced by the carrier. There are no big name actors, no animation, and no stand up comedy routine. However, it’s just very fun to watch, with upbeat music, and some great choreography.

British Airways safety video

Along with the Virgin America safety video, this is probably the most controversial video I’m putting on this list, since people either love or hate it. Several years back, British Airways created a safety video in collaboration with Comic Relief. In this video, some popular celebrities are seen “auditioning” for a role in the safety video, and the whole thing is hilarious.

It seems that most people who saw this for the first time loved it, while others were less enthusiastic.

Singapore Airlines safety video

Singapore Airlines is possibly the most consistent airline in the world when it comes to its marketing and branding. The airline exudes elegance and tranquility in every element of its operation, and the safety video is no exception.

The current safety video showcases Singapore as a destination, and combines real-life footage with watercolor effects, so it’s visually very interesting.

I thought the previous safety video was equally good. It also highlighted Singapore, though had a slightly different vibe, and didn’t have the watercolor feature.

Delta Air Lines safety video

Airlines will sometimes enlist the help of celebrities for their safety videos. However, it’s not often that someone becomes a celebrity from appearing in a safety video. There’s one notable exception.

In 2008, Delta released a safety video featuring a real Delta flight attendant, and the world quickly nicknamed her “Deltalina.” Her “no smoking” finger wag (1min50sec into the video) went super viral. Gosh, this video also reminds me of how fast time flies, because I’m sure there are plenty of younger OMAAT readers who have no clue who Deltalina is. To me, this feels like it was yesterday.

Emirates safety video

At first, I found it charming when airlines started releasing unique and memorable safety videos, since it was the exception rather than the norm. However, at some point it can get a bit exhausting and predictable.

So that’s why I have to give Emirates credit for its recent effort in this area, as the airline released what it calls a “no-nonsense safety video.” I love to see the airline acknowledging the direction other airlines have taken, and using the “traditional” safety video as a point of differentiation. It’s oddly refreshing to see a safety video actually filmed on a plane.

Bottom line

Airlines put varying amounts of effort into their safety videos. Some airlines just stick to the basics, while others turn it into a theatrical production. For the airlines that put effort into the videos, some go for humor, some go for production value, some focus on highlighting their homes, and some do a little bit of everything.

What’s your favorite and/or most memorable airline safety video?