The Studio

So, I had the pleasure of traveling cattle class today, and even though I forgot to check in online, I was still able to secure aisle seats in the front of the plane despite having to board the aircraft as a B-class citizen. The flight was altogether uneventful, but I was temporarily amused by the flight attendants.

It seems that Southwest Airlines has figured out that very few people listen to the safety announcements at the start of the flight anymore, so they have taken it upon themselves to liven up the script a bit. Of the two flights I was on, there was some variation in the jokes, so perhaps Southwest inserted some jokes into the script, but then each flight attendant is also able to add her own flourishes.

I'm sure that by now you're fairly familiar with the airplane safety announcements, so I'll highlight some of the comical inserts for your, leaving it up to you to fill in the context. "Hi Ladies and Gentlemen, if we could pretend to have your attention..." begin safety announce, how to buckle your seatbelt..."your seat belt should be worn tight and low on your hips, like a pair of J-Lo pants..." something something... "Should the aircraft transform into a cruise ship..." floating devices explanations, cabin pressure stuff... "If you are traveling with children, anyone in need of special assistance, or adults acting like small children..." put on your mask before assisting them... "If you must choose between multiple children, start with the one with the most potential and work your way down from there." Hehe. I was amused.

I think that ever since 9/11, air travel has lost a lot of its fun, not that it was that much fun to begin with. But these days, it seems that air travel has taken on a serious and sometimes grave nature. The humorous Southwest safety announcements are a great way to lighten the mood and it's also probably a great way to get people's attention.

Congrats Southwest, you guys are doing something right.