10 Things Passengers Do During The Safety Demo, That They Shouldn’t

I’m always amazed each time I fly as I see passengers doing a ton of thing apart from paying attention during the flight attendant safety demo video. Not paying attention is akin to someone taking to you and you talking at the same time or just ignoring them. Would you do that?

1. Perform A Manicure

Always a crowd pleasure. People do strange things on an airplane. For some reason, they are now relaxed as they’ve rushed to make the flight and this is the time they choose to do a manicure. Really? It should not be as no one wants to see that. Besides, fingernail clippings are going everywhere, not to mention the click, click sounds. Plus you are grossing out the person next to you. I’ve even seen passengers polishing their nails, but not during the demo at least. Please don’t do this.

2. Listen To Their Mobile Device

Now that passengers can use their electronic devices in the non-transmitting mode throughout the entire flight, even fewer people pay attention anymore. Typically, the headphones go in almost immediately as they sit down and get settled in. Have a little manners folks, someone is talking to you, so listen. The flight attendants are really doing this for your benefit. Sure hopefully you won’t need it, but what if you do, would you know what to do? I’ve been on flights where an announcement is made that you cannot use headphones during the demo and rightly so. Even if you don’t want to listen, just wait to don those headphones.

3. Watch Something On Their iPad

With not much to do while the boarding process continues, passengers start a movie or Video Podcast on their iPad the moment they are settled in. There is a pause button, but its rarely used.

4. Talk To Each Other Loudly

Some people just don’t care and start to have a new or continue their existing conversation while the demo continues. I’ve seen some flight attendants actually ask people to shut up. It’s funny and embarrassing to watch.

5. Scream (baby)

On a recent flight, this baby was screaming during the entire demonstration. I could hear the mother trying to keep him quiet, but it did not work. I know this cannot be helped as sometimes you can’t control the baby’s scream. Interestingly enough, he stopped as soon as the demonstration was complete. Really odd.

6. Take Something Out of Their Bag

This guy once got up during the demo as he’d forgotten his headset inside of his bag. The flight attendant quickly walked over and demanded that he close the bin and sat down. He did, reluctantly.

7. Fall Asleep

Now, no matter how tired I am, I really try to at least stay awake to watch the demonstration, but I’ve seen others grab a blanket if one exists, curl up and go to sleep. Even reclining their seats, which usually causes the flight attendant to wake them so they can place their seat in the uncomfortable upright position.

8. Stare Out The Window

As much as I love to stare out the window of an airplane, I refrain until the demo is over. Maybe an occasional glance, but I’ve seen people just look out continuously and then once the demo is over, they look inside again. Just plane rude.

9. Look For Something They Lost Under The Seat

I once saw this guy searching vigorously for something he had misplaced. He was literally on his knees looking under the seat while the demo continued. It looks like he did not find it and he gave up, he then put his headphones in and started reading a book.

10. Read

From a newspaper to a magazine to a book, this is by far the most common activity during the demo. The look on people’s faces are always so odd too; it’s like “I refuse to watch this demo, as such, I’m reading this really boring magazine that I’d never have read, even if you paid me.”