Emirates has just unveiled the simplest new safety video we’ve seen in a very long time, and I love it!
In this post:
Emirates keeps safety simple with new video
Nowadays many airlines use safety videos as an extension of their marketing efforts. The safety videos may be very abstract, have comedians, highlight a carrier’s home country, etc. Well, Emirates is in the process of rolling out a modern new safety video, and it does none of that. Instead, it just shares safety instructions in an easy to understand way. What a novel concept!
Emirates is proud of the simplicity of the video, as the video starts with the following:
“This is your no-nonsense safety video. We do not have dancers breaking into song, characters from movies, or celebrities trying to be funny, I’m afraid.”
And indeed, the video really is no-nonsense. It just has easy to understand instructions that are efficiently shared by people who are easy on the eyes, with pleasant background music, and it’s actually filmed inside an aircraft cabin.
For context, below is Emirates’ previous safety video. It also stuck to sharing the basics of safety, but was filmed in front of a green screen, rather than inside an aircraft.
Are airline safety videos coming full circle?
Back in the day, airline safety videos would be about, you know, safety. But then airlines increasingly started to make their safety videos more entertaining, in hopes of getting people to actually pay attention. It’s something that Air New Zealand really pioneered, as the airline rolled out all kinds of very well done videos that were hilarious.
Ever since, we’ve seen a countless number of airlines try to one-up each other with safety videos, with everything from comedy routines, to using celebrities, to music. Yes, in some cases the videos were more entertaining for a first time traveler with the airline.
However, for frequent flyers, these kinds of videos are no doubt less entertaining. Furthermore, while these amusing videos may get peoples’ attention, it’s questionable whether people actually retain the information presented in those videos.
So personally I love Emirates’ new video, as clearly the airline realized that over-the-top safety videos have been overdone at this point. Furthermore, given how international Emirates’ customer base is, I think it’s great that the information is presented in such a clear and easy to understand way.
I hope we see a similar trend at other airlines, whereby they go back to the basics.
Bottom line
Emirates has unveiled a new safety video, and it’s incredibly simple. It just presents the safety instructions in an easy to understand way, which is something we haven’t seen many airlines try in recent years.
What do you make of Emirates’ new safety video?
Don't really see the point of this article other than to whine about the plight of the frequent flyer. These videos aren't for frequent flyers. If they have seen them enough times that they are bored with them then they really should already know the safety precautions. What is more important is the people who rarely fly understand the safety precautions. Making a video a little more entertaining isn't a problem if its more likely...
Don't really see the point of this article other than to whine about the plight of the frequent flyer. These videos aren't for frequent flyers. If they have seen them enough times that they are bored with them then they really should already know the safety precautions. What is more important is the people who rarely fly understand the safety precautions. Making a video a little more entertaining isn't a problem if its more likely to get people to pay attention as long as it clearly gets the safety tips across.
So I fit the definition of a fFlyer (lifetime Gold on *A and OW) and just started flying Japan Airlines. First time I've seen a demo of how to use the exit slide and a serious "don't take anything with you" message featuring slide damage. Hint, adopt a touch your toes position.
It's fine. I liked somewhere in the middle best. The Air France video before the current one is my personal favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f27zE-PdZZI
Were I an airline I'd make the safety video the shortest it legally can be in as calm a voice it's easy to tune out. When's the last time anyone was saved by knowing the location of their life vest (that wasn't mentioned during a crash)? How many thousands of years of people's lives have been wasted explaining oxygen masks will drop? Or that you can't smoke on a plane?
Make it as short and to the point as possible. No dancing, no fancy songs, just the safety info.
If there is a safety VIDEO, it is shown on an entertainments system from which people can choose what they want to watch.
But then after that safety video you have an equally long video about “Ice”, which is still more obnoxious
Also, I like cheesy, overproduced safety videos
I honestly hope they get rid of the ICE video. It's oudated and pointless and super annoying, plus it plays twice - in both Arabic and English.
If only there was a way to temporarily disable passenger’s electronic devices while the video played. That would probably violate some law or ethical norm, but I really don’t see any other way to get people to pay attention
Kurt - the reason most people dont pay attention is that they have seen it a million times before. Yes - "every aircraft is different" but no - the videos are practically all the same. Why would you think people would watch it if you disabled their iPad? they will read, or look out the window, or do a crossword or just daydream about their vacation.
I like it. Keep it quick and straight to the point. The BA offering, infused with celebrities, was intolerable.
Agreed-- the last time I suffered through BA's bloated video, I was thinking to myself how nice it would be to see a short, quick, to-the-point video instead.
Nothing new about it many airlines had simple non-nonsense safety videos, even conservative Airlines like Lufthansa in the past unntil Air New Zealand and other Airline started the story telling flight safety videos.
Ben, you should check out Boliviana's safety video on the A330s, pretty cool with a Bolivian carnival theme.
Air New Zealand should have focused more on hard and soft product, where it lags much of the industry.
No one is going to watch it. I like Starlux's video the most. It is eye catching. There is a reason why cereal boxes are adorned in pops of color.
Not bad. Could be shorter.
All the fancy safety videos get old very fast. I recall the old QR soccer safety video - it was long and ridiculous and they would show it twice, in english and arabic. These days I have to sit thru the Garuda and SQ videos. They are painful. Something brief and to the point would be welcome.
But I must say I'm still loving the MH video despite having watched it so many times...!
Let’s get a “Ben’s Top Ten Airline Safety Videos” please.
Love Air Canada’s.
Let's have less kiddy cheese safety videos from everybody. Thank you
Very boring. Passengers will lose interest and go back to what they were doing without taking in any information.
I disagree, passengers will lose interest regardless of whether the video is boring or entertaining. I don't watch the safety video regardless of how entertaining it is and I'm a frequent flyer.
I liked the old 777 safety video so much, it was pretty straightforward and has been played on for so long, it gives me nostalgia from the early 2010s. Will miss that one for sure. But I am glad to see these no-nonsense videos, the football themed ones on QR (the 2016 one feature FC Barcelona and the 2022 football themed one) were incredibly boring but the present one is better.
I agree. The old EK safety video is extremely nostalgic for me as well, especially the sound that plays in the video. EK used to have that sound playing constantly throughout the safety video, but now it seems to only play during a small part of the safety video. I guess the crews got sick of hearing it and complained to management lol.
It’s a perfect no nonsense safety video -no doubt stimulated by the Japan Airlines one focusing entirely on whats important and not a promotional travel video