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Better PA Announcements

Next to the crew, nothing can make or break a flight like good PA announcements.  The PA is an extremely effective tool you can use to ensure a smooth flight and good organization of passengers and crew.  The following list is our opinion and by no means complete, but might generate some thoughts about PA announcements.

Language

Language is very, very important--as your choice of words can be powerful.  Here's a couple of tips on the subject of Language:

  1. Customer vs. Passenger. I don't like using the word, "Customer", especially in the safety announcements.  Example: "Customers must comply with all lighted signs, placards, etc..."  If you are in an gas station convenience store, you're a customer.  When you are in a steel tube rushing at 35,000 feet, you're a passenger.  I think that 'Passenger' is a subtle reminder to those folks sitting in the cabin that they are actually onboard a vessel.
  2. You Decide. During periods of turbulence, I would avoid saying something like, "The Captain has requested the flight attendants to sit down.  When he lets us know it's safe to get up, we'll resume our service." Why?  Because it projects the subtle image that F/As aren't making safety decisions for themselves.   The all-knowing, all-powerful airship Captain has stepped in and determined that the food servers can't be walking through the aisle.

    Instead, let them know exactly who determines flight attendant safety: the flight attendants.  Make an announcement like, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the flight attendants will be taking their seats during this turbulence.  Once we have determined it's safe to be up, we'll resume our service.  Thank you for your patience."
  3. Two distinct styles. Have two different styles of PA language and delivery:  one for safety announcements, and the other for the lighter (like what channel the movie is on) announcements.  Make your safety language clear, to the point, and not subject to interpretation.  Make your fluff stuff more informal and relaxed.

    An example of what not to do for safety announcements: "Folks, we're gonna need you to sit down now and fasten your seatbelts.  We're sorry about this but it really isn't safe to be up in the aisle."

    An example of a better safety announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, the seatbelt sign in on.  You are now required be in your seats with your seatbelt securely fastened, low and tight across your lap."
  4. Ace in the hole. If you have a really important safety announcement to make, proceed it with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please..."  Be careful to deliver this one without any rises in pitch or it will sound like a desperate plea.  Also, don't overuse this announcement because you will get everyone's attention by using it!
  5. Humor. Humor is fine, so long as it's actually funny and not plain dumb. Just keep it out of the safety messages.
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Delivery

By delivery I mean the volume, pitch, clarity, and style of speaking.  Some important tricks for better delivery:

  1. Hold the microphone slightly at an angle from your mouth.  This way you won't 'pop' your P's and hiss your S's.  This is an old radio station trick that will work very well on the aircraft PA.
  2. Make sure that you use your 'third ear' and are constantly aware if your volume is sufficient.  Nothing is more unprofessional than too low or too high a volume.
  3. Speak with authority.  Stand slightly on your toes if that helps you keep your energy going.  For live safety demo announcements, use the Announcement Book, as it's always glaringly obvious (and not very professional) when the Purser is improvising the demo.

Timing

Timing is also critical to a successful flight, so I've included a few tips on this as well:

  1. Remember that every flight service has a deadline: the landing.  As far as your passengers should be concerned, the deadline is when the seatbelt goes on in preparation for the landing.  Always be aware of the time.  The service is over and the galleys are closed.  Give the passengers a heads up about 20-40 minutes in advance depending on the type of aircraft, time of day, passenger load, and routing.  While you're at it, give your crew the same advice in briefing---no frantic pouring of 2nd coffees 10 minutes before landing on all-nighters during the descent turbulence, for heaven's sake!

    You can say something like this, "Ladies and Gentlemen, our in-flight service has now concluded.  In approximately 20 minutes the captain will turn on the seatbelt in preparation for our landing.  If you need to use the lavatories or put away your carry-on items, please do so now.  Once the seatbelt sign has been turned back on, we will need to have everyone return to your seats and remain seated, with your seatbelts fastened, for the remainder of our flight."

    Remember to give passengers (and crew) sufficient time to get the lavatory visits completed, especially on those long international all-nighter flights going into the morning.  It will make for a much easier (and safer) cabin preparation for the entire crew.

  2. Timing is also important for the movie announcement.  Check and see what your crew is doing in coach before announcing the start of the movie.  Call lights going off in the middle of a service (from people with broken headsets, audio problems, etc...) can really disrupt their work.  Best to do it either before the service begins or just as the service is winding down.

  3. Meal choice announcements?  I have mixed feelings about this one.  If you can make the announcement cabin specific, do it during the day only, and make it short, it can be a very good tool to get them out of the aisle.  Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

  4. About night flights. Night flights require a special breed of announcement: A lot of good details up front and then SHUT UP during the flight!  Except for the safety announcements of course...  Also, let passengers know that it's a special kind of flight, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a night flight which means we do things a little differently.  I'm going to tell you all the details about our flight now so that you can get some rest later on.  Here's what we're going to be doing..."  Then give them specific details and times of the service, movie, and approximate cabin preparation time.  However, night flight or not, do not wait until the very last minute to wake them up.  It will create a frantic rush to the lavatories.  This will create two problems: 1.) You will have people in the aisle no matter what, even when they shouldn't be.  Their bladder calls and they will listen.  And 2.) Everyone seeing passengers in the aisle when the seatbelt sign is on simply reinforces the already rampant ignoring of that safety reminder.

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Other Announcement Tips

And finally, some other tips:

  1. Get off Your High Horse. I've seen pursers tell their crews in briefing, "Please do not make any announcements, I will do this.  If you need a seat belt announcement please let me know."  This is a bad idea.  The purser cannot possibly know what is happening in every corner of the plane at any given moment.  Besides that, it's not always possible to track the purser down on the Interphone immediately!  If you're a PA control freak, it's better to tell your crew something like: "I'll be doing all the main announcements.  However, if you need to make a safety announcement, go right ahead."  If your on a plane that allows cabin specific announcements, you can also add, "Please make the announcement only in the cabin that needs it."

  2. You've flown a million times into BLH International Airport, but Mr. 18E hasn't.  If you know the airport, try and make a good announcement about the terminal.  Like, "Folks, we've just arrived at terminal seven.  For those of you connecting on to other Shuttle flights, you'll need to go to terminal eight.  Of course, check the departure monitors first!"

  3. Language announcements.  They also can make break a flight, especially to Central or South America.  The best experience I ever had with a LQ flight attendant was when he came up to me shortly before boarding and said, "Hi, I'm XXX XXXX, how you would like to coordinate our announcements?"  A side note here also: Language-qualified flight attendants are not the end-all be-all people for document distribution--help them out, especially going to Central America!

    In addition, I would also let the passengers know (in both languages) that, although you are passing out the documentation now, the crew will hold off on answering specific documentation questions until after the meal service.

  4. Avoid announcements that go on and on and on and on and on...  You know the type: feeling the necessity to point out his grammar school just off the the left as the plane is on final approach.

    Enough said.

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