Federal law requires that airlines orally brief passengers on safety procedures before each takeoff. Some flight attendants have transformed this normally dull experience into onboard entertainment — using song, dance and humor.
What boring activities in your life would you like to liven up? How would you liven them up?
In “For Some Flight Attendants, Shtick Comes With the Safety Spiel,” Zach Schonbrun writes:
As the American Airlines flight swooped in over New York Harbor on its way into La Guardia Airport one evening last month, Joe Howell grabbed the microphone and began his tour.
“For those of you on the left-hand side just off the wing, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island,” Mr. Howell began, his baritone carrying all the authority of his 44 years as a flight attendant. “The Statue of Liberty opened originally in 1886. Grover Cleveland was the presiding president.”
This went on for several minutes. Against a smattering of groans, he offered details of the statue’s copper plates (there are 500, handmade), the birthplace of the designer (Alsace) and Liberty Island’s original name (Bedloe’s Island).
“Now if you look on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge along the East River,” he added, “that is the South Street Seaport!”
Unlike checked bags and exit-row seating, the aerial tour was free.
Mr. Howell’s routine is a relic of a bygone age when air travel was something anticipated, not endured, and flight attendants did more than look out for safety and delivered more than peanuts and tomato juice. They used to think of themselves, according to those like Mr. Howell with long enough memories, as hosts and hostesses of an exclusive party.
But in today’s age of consolidation, when even the uniforms have lost their élan, much of that individual charm has worn off.
Still, some flight attendants are not going gently. They are still doing what they can to keep passengers entertained or informed beyond pushing a button to play the video recordings of the in-flight safety videos.
Students: Read the entire article, and watch some of the embedded videos, then tell us …
— What are boring activities in your life? Perhaps Friday quizzes, emptying the dishwasher, riding the subway or cleaning your room?
— How would you liven up these activities? What could other people do to liven up your experience?
— Have you ever tried to spice up the daily routines or humdrum in your life? How?
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