Open Mike

[Seeker]

longtimers will understand the reference below....

Clive and David?

[spreadsheet]

Just my opinion...but there should never be humour mixed with information that may save your life .......especially with respect to SAFETY DEMOS because some of your "guests" may be first time flyers and need that critical information.

How many more people actually listen because it's different rather than the same old repetitive text we all automatically tune out? I know I will actually give the attendants my attention if I can see they are attempting to make it a little more interesting, but if it's the same old spiel I'm tuned out instantly.

[blues deville]

How many more people actually listen because it's different rather than the same old repetitive text we all automatically tune out? I know I will actually give the attendants my attention if I can see they are attempting to make it a little more interesting, but if it's the same old spiel I'm tuned out instantly.

Sure. But are you listening to the safety items or waiting for the jokes in between.

[blues deville]

There is no question that some people are able to pull off the humor thing far better than others. It can be painful observing those who are not good at it. However, it is a treat to see those that know what they are doing.

I was on the last leg of a very long day of flying last week and had a WJ F/A pull off the safety demo in the style of a Dr. Seuss story which was hilarious, even for someone who's flown WJA extensively since day 1.

After something like 23 hours flying, including my first A380 experience, the most memorable part of all the flights was the safety demo from on the YYC-YYJ leg.

And yes, I congratulated her after the grooming was done.

Visibly unique and easily contrasted....longtimers will understand the reference below....

I guess after 23 hours of flying almost anything is hilarious.

Perhaps WS should submit that script to TC for approval. Did she happen to do it in the other official language or just let the tape player do the standard version?

[Thebean]

I guess after 23 hours of flying almost anything is hilarious.

Perhaps WS should submit that script to TC for approval. Did she happen to do it in the other official language or just let the tape player do the standard version?

As you must know, all safety demos have to be approved by TC. If TC doesn't approve them, it's a no go. Do you really think WJ has been unilateraly given the latitude to do make up safety demos on the fly?

I would imagine more people pay attention to the live safety demo than ones done by other airlines on video with a generic audio track recorded in English and French, as the F/A's stare blankly down the aisles in sheer boredom whilst no one pays any attention.

For the record, it would appear most of the guests were paying attention to the Dr Seuss briefing as the F/A received a hearty round of applause after she completed it.

In other words, mission accomplished. 130+ people paid close attention to the demo and that's the point of the entire exercise.

[CD]

As you must know, all safety demos have to be approved by TC. If TC doesn't approve them, it's a no go...

...it would appear most of the guests were paying attention to the Dr Seuss briefing as the F/A received a hearty round of applause after she completed it.

Actually, that is not quite accurate as TC will not approve a "Dr Seuss" briefing. The briefing must contain the information required by the standard, in both official languages.

I haven't heard Dr. Seuss in French but I imagine that would be quite entertaining...

[CanadaEH]

I think the question should rather be: How many first time flyers are diverted by the Jokes etc and therefore fail to grasp what they need to know?

Us frequent flyers seldom listen/ watch the safety briefings unless it is a winsome lass doing the presentation>

A "winsome lass"?

[Thebean]

Actually, that is not quite accurate as TC will not approve a "Dr Seuss" briefing. The briefing must contain the information required by the standard, in both official languages.

I haven't heard Dr. Seuss in French but I imagine that would be quite entertaining...

If you heard the briefing, and were familiar with the contents of the standard briefing, be it a live version on some airlines, or the pre recorded version on others, you would immediately recognize that the Dr Seuss briefing covers all the points, in the same order.

It just happens to rhyme and as a result, tends to garner more attention than the canned versions.

There are no bones in the ice cream.

[blues deville]

If you heard the briefing, and were familiar with the contents of the standard briefing, be it a live version on some airlines, or the pre recorded version on others, you would immediately recognize that the Dr Seuss briefing covers all the points, in the same order.

It just happens to rhyme and as a result, tends to garner more attention than the canned versions.

There are no bones in the ice cream.

Hard to believe a regulator would allow cabin crew to modify their TC approved safety briefings whenever they feel like it. I am sure WS cabin crew get bored of doing the same one several times a day but that's nothing new in the airline business.

I suppose if you are an English speaking passenger with a knowledge of American children's story books you will have no problem with a rhyming safety demo.

Everyone else can just follow the "cats in the hats" out through the over wing exit counting "one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish".

[Thebean]

Hard to believe a regulator would allow cabin crew to modify their TC approved safety briefings whenever they feel like it. I am sure WS cabin crew get bored of doing the same one several times a day but that's nothing new in the airline business.

I suppose if you are an English speaking passenger with a knowledge of American children's story books you will have no problem with a rhyming safety demo.

Everyone else can just follow the "cats in the hats" out through the over wing exit counting "one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish".

Visibly unique and easily contrasted...

[J.O.]

Did you find an old stash of Kool-Aid mix in your closet?

[Johnny]

The Westjet crowd will never admit to the shortcomings. Most of us can laugh (and admit) to the things we like and dislike about our respective employer. Not you "Westjetter's"...no sir'ee, at least not in public.

I have spent plenty of time in the back of Westjet Airplanes and the P/A's from the Captain standing in the front galley are ridiculous, the jokes from the F/A's, painful, refering to the Pilots as Captain Billy and First Officer Bobby, embarrassing.

Watching the two Pilots groom the Aircraft after landing....

.... words escape me.

[GDR]

Watching the two Pilots groom the Aircraft after landing....

.... words escape me.

Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with that? It seems to me that's a positive and good for them.

Greg

[Johnny]

If you think back to the days of short domestic turns, less than 45 minutes, would you rather the two Pilots pick gum wrappers from the floor at row 30 and cross seat belts.

Or say, focus on the slightly more important issues?

[flybye]

If you think back to the days of short domestic turns, less than 45 minutes, would you rather the two Pilots pick gum wrappers from the floor at row 30 and cross seat belts.

Or say, focus on the slightly more important issues?

So, to explain this on this forum for the umpteenth dozenth time.... The pilots ONLY go back and groom when ALL other relevant PILOT duties are completed, including, but not limited to, shutdown checklist, logbook entries, any relevant calls to ops, mntce, crew sked, etc, and - if the outbound paperwork is even at the gate yet - outbound leg setup. All of which, generally, takes no more than 5 minutes. Heck, some guys even go out and do a walk-around while people are offloading and are still back in the cabin in time to help finish grooming. A recent "westjetty" phrase was coined: "we're not done until everyone is done", meaning "get off your ass and help". This applies to commuters and stby employees. Fellow WJers on here, correct me if I'm wrong, but the latest number I've heard is an annual savings of $10,000,000 ish for not having every flight groomed. For that extra profit share, yeah I'll pickup gum wrappers!

And, don't get me wrong, we ALL have our faults, downfalls and weaknesses - but please - this isn't one of them.

[Thebean]

The Westjet crowd will never admit to the shortcomings. Most of us can laugh (and admit) to the things we like and dislike about our respective employer. Not you "Westjetter's"...no sir'ee, at least not in public.

I have spent plenty of time in the back of Westjet Airplanes and the P/A's from the Captain standing in the front galley are ridiculous, the jokes from the F/A's, painful, refering to the Pilots as Captain Billy and First Officer Bobby, embarrassing.

Watching the two Pilots groom the Aircraft after landing....

.... words escape me.

I bet you like your smart pilot hat too....

Everything that is done, is done for a reason. Most WJ'rs get it. Others on the outside obviously still don't, which, after 15 years, never fails to put a big silly grin on my face.

Visibly unique and easily contrasted.

[hollywud]

So, to explain this on this forum for the umpteenth dozenth time.... The pilots ONLY go back and groom when ALL other relevant PILOT duties are completed, including, but not limited to, shutdown checklist, logbook entries, any relevant calls to ops, mntce, crew sked, etc, and - if the outbound paperwork is even at the gate yet - outbound leg setup. All of which, generally, takes no more than 5 minutes. Heck, some guys even go out and do a walk-around while people are offloading and are still back in the cabin in time to help finish grooming. A recent "westjetty" phrase was coined: "we're not done until everyone is done", meaning "get off your ass and help". This applies to commuters and stby employees. Fellow WJers on here, correct me if I'm wrong, but the latest number I've heard is an annual savings of $10,000,000 ish for not having every flight groomed. For that extra profit share, yeah I'll pickup gum wrappers!

And, don't get me wrong, we ALL have our faults, downfalls and weaknesses - but please - this isn't one of them.

The Westjet culture is very different to that of Air Canada and each airline employs persons whom would best fit into their company culture. I see no problem with all crew members pitching in to keep the show on the road and to better the bottom line. I would like to know however, how the cabin crew and company would feel/react to a time where the pilots simply do not have the luxury of time to help out in the cabin. There are too many scenarios that I can think of in which this might happen so I won't bother to elaborate, but is it safe to assume that the company and back-end understand that there are times when the cockpit crew's priorities over-ride the bottom line?

[Seeker]

but is it safe to assume that the company and back-end understand that there are times when the cockpit crew's priorities over-ride the bottom line?

No, I would say that is incorrect. I know a lot of pilots at Westjet and, in person, they will tell me that there is significant pressure (some of it self-imposed) to assist with the cabin grooming even when they really don't have the time to spare. Of course the public stance is that they just do this when they have the time and everything else is done although I have numerous first-hand reports of pilots getting sarcastic comments from the flight attendants about not helping out with grooming when they are busy with all the "pilot stuff" they are actually paid to do. Hey, I like money too so I'd jump in and groom too if it meant I'd earn more but personally I think that human nature being what it is means that it does have an adverse affect on safety.

[chockalicious]

No, I would say that is incorrect. I know a lot of pilots at Westjet and, in person, they will tell me that there is significant pressure (some of it self-imposed) to assist with the cabin grooming even when they really don't have the time to spare. Of course the public stance is that they just do this when they have the time and everything else is done although I have numerous first-hand reports of pilots getting sarcastic comments from the flight attendants about not helping out with grooming when they are busy with all the "pilot stuff" they are actually paid to do. Hey, I like money too so I'd jump in and groom too if it meant I'd earn more but personally I think that human nature being what it is means that it does have an adverse affect on safety.

You're either misinformed or a liar.

[Seeker]

You're either misinformed or a liar.

Ahhh.... how about neither. Believe it or not there are Westjet pilots who participate in the "company program" but will discuss it's short-comings - even if you won't.

[GDR]

If you think back to the days of short domestic turns, less than 45 minutes, would you rather the two Pilots pick gum wrappers from the floor at row 30 and cross seat belts.

Or say, focus on the slightly more important issues?

When I was flying the DC9 around on short hops I had no problem helping with grooming when for some reason the ground staff was tied up elsewhere. It had no impact on my piloting duties whatsoever. It didn't happen often as normally there was the ground staff whose job it was, but part of the airline business is that things don't always go as planned.

If it was required on an ongoing basis I still wouldn't have a problem. My salary was always dependent on my employer making a profit and if it required picking up gum wrappers to help in that then so be it.

[CANCELIFR]

If you think back to the days of short domestic turns, less than 45 minutes, would you rather the two Pilots pick gum wrappers from the floor at row 30 and cross seat belts.

Or say, focus on the slightly more important issues?

You must be great to fly with. Just ask you. You spend the whole time on a turn focusing on more important issues? Ya didn't think so.

[Charlie's Flying Dog]

Ya didn't think so.

Ya missed a comma there sir. I'm pretty sure you meant, "Ya, didn't think so.", not, "Ya didn't think so." Do ya think?

I mean I could be wrong ya know.

I'm sometimes wrong about things like this.

It could be that what you meant to say was ya didn't think so, as in, "you didn't think so", but it sorta looked to me like it was meant as ...

.

.

.

.

sniff...

.

sniff, sniff..... sniff sniff sniff,... hey.... you peed on the wall here, didn't ya?

cool... now i'll pee here too and someone else can come and pee and...

[CanadaEH]

Some people just don't "get it" and never will.

I don't doubt some pilots dislike the whole grooming concept but it's what we do.

[Thebean]

Some people just don't "get it" and never will.

I don't doubt some pilots dislike the whole grooming concept but it's what we do.

One of the reasons WJ'rs are so incredibly slim, trim, limber and astonishingly photogenic is as a result of the a small amount of grooming activity after each flight.

There's nothing like a little gentle bending, twisting and stretching between flights to get the blood flowing after long periods of sitting on one's derriere. Grooming accomplishes it all.

I for one find it a great way to clear the cobwebs after sitting quietly for a few hours.