The best airline safety announcement videos

by Gadling Staff on

Air travelers have all been there — the plane is about to take off, but first we have to awkwardly look away or bury our noses in magazines to avoid paying attention to the safety announcements. They’re the same every time, so we always know that the closest exit may be behind us. But a few savvy airlines have come up with better ways to grab passengers’ attention. From stripping down to rapping, here are some of the best airline safety announcements you’ll see on board.

Thomson Airways
British airline Thomson Airways knows that cuteness always gets attention. When a plane full of adorable kids tells you how to buckle your seatbelt, you’re sure to listen:

Air New Zealand
If cute doesn’t work, sex always sells. Take this Air New Zealand video, which encourages passengers to “take a second look” at safety — and the body-painted flight crew:

To further prove they have a sense of humor, Air New Zealand released a blooper reel of the clips that didn’t make the safety video. After all, reciting lines wearing body paint can’t be too easy:

Delta Airlines
Delta is a little more subtle with its sexy announcements — but every person in the video is ridiculously attractive, with perfect teeth and not a hair out of place. YouTube commenters have even dubbed the main announcer “Deltalina” for her resemblance to Angelina Jolie:

Virgin America
International airlines aren’t the only ones who get to have fun. Take Virgin America’s safety video, which pokes fun at the various characters found on a typical flight:

Southwest Airlines
Southwest is known for its funny flight crews. This flight attendant brings the entertainment with a safety rap:

This Southwest attendant makes announcements American Idol-style, singing a parody of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies:”

Virgin Atlantic
When in doubt, use flashy graphics. Virgin Atlantic puts passengers at ease with its calming music and intriguing animation:

BREAKING: Spirit Airlines to charge up to $45 fee for carry-on bags

by Grant Martin on

There’s big news in the airline industry today, as Spirit Airlines announced the addition of carry-on baggage fees to their already healthy roster of post-ticketing charges.

For those paying online, each carry on bag will cost an additional $30 unless you’re in Spirit’s subscription-based $9 Fare Club. Those lucky members will only be charged $20 per bag. If paying for the service in-person at the airport, the fee jumps to $45 per bag. Personal items such as purses or briefcases will continue to be free as long as they fit underneath the seat.

Although Spirit Airlines is the first carrier to initiate such a fee, there’s broad speculation among the travel community on whether it will be picked up by other carriers — checked baggage fees, paid snacks and seat selection, after all, have all been nearly universally adopted over the last three years. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of free carry-on luggage industry wide.

On the bright side, however, there should be plenty more overhead bin space after August 1.

New baggage fees will go into effect on August 1st. You can check out more details and see whether your bag qualifies as a “carry-on” or a “personal item” over at spiritair.com.%Gallery-76818%

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Women try to smuggle dead relative onto flight

by Sean McLachlan on

We talk a lot here at Gadling about annoying airline passengers, from the guy who smashes our knees by reclining his seat back as far as it can go, to the self-righteous fellow who simply must convert us before the plane lands.

Two women in England have them all beat–they tried to smuggle a dead body on board. The unnamed women were stopped at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport on Saturday as they wheeled their “sleeping” relative up to the gate for a flight to Germany. Airport officials became suspicious and when they began to ask questions about the 91 year-old man, the duo’s story quickly unraveled.

By covering the man with a blanket and putting sunglasses on him, they apparently thought they could slip by security. Perhaps they were inspired by the Australian who got a bag labeled “bomb” past security or the United flight that had a stowaway scorpion.

The two suspects, who the police have identified only as women aged 41 and 66 from Oldham in Greater Manchester, have been charged with failing to report on death and have been released on bail pending an investigation and, most likely, a trial.

Ryanair paid bathrooms are really going to happen – perhaps

by Scott Carmichael on

The story behind the Ryanair paid bathroom concept is a really weird one. The idea was first mentioned by their slightly insane CEO, Michael O’Leary. Then the story was debunked by their own spokesperson.

And now, in a not so surprising twist, the airline has confirmed that paid bathrooms will indeed be coming to their planes -albeit in a phased introduction.

The “pay to pee” facilities will cost one pound or one euro – so international passengers on Ryanair better make sure they carry correct change.

According to Ryanair, they are working with Boeing to redesign the cabin, and develop the coin operated doors. The whole idea behind paid bathrooms is designed to force passengers to use the bathroom before or after the flight – and the final objective is to remove one or two bathrooms from all Ryanair planes, creating more space for seats. And more seats means (even) lower prices. You can’t really argue with their logic.

There is a spot of good news though – the paid bathrooms won’t be introduced until after the busy summer season.

White Collar Travel: Airline reward programs do it wrong

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s always amazed me that airlines reward passengers for the distances they go rather than the outlay of dough. Think back to the mileage run made a few months ago by Gadling‘s esteemed top dog, Grant Martin. He sought the cheapest fare he could find to rack up the miles he needed for the next status level. The upside, of course, was another year of premier treatment, and the dollars he put out were essentially irrelevant. Meanwhile, a business traveler who spent the year dropping a few hundred bucks a week on shorter flights doesn’t get the same level of recognition, despite having spent far more. The airlines take care of the wrong passengers.

A better model for rewarding customer loyalty can be found in the hotel space. It doesn’t matter how many nights you spend in a hotel throughout the year – the points you pick up are based on the money you spend. Yet, frequency isn’t overlooked: you can amass status levels based on how often you stay. So, as long as you’re in a room, you benefit from how often you stay. When it comes to cashing in your points, you are recognized for how much you’ve spent.The doling of points based on your financial value reaches beyond the guestroom, as well. The money you spend in the restaurant, spa, gym and anywhere else translate to points. Meanwhile, the airlines only take into account how long you’ve occupied a seat. It doesn’t reflect your full value to the company.

For the airlines, the upside of a more appropriate award system could be greater than they realize. Even though business travelers rarely spend their own money on tickets, they do decide which airlines they’ll take. So, they control the cash, even if it isn’t their own. By thanking passengers in accordance with the financial commitments they make, the airlines could shift how they distribute their goodwill and turn unwilling passengers into regular fliers … and vocal advocates.