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British Airways' new Bridgerton-style safety video features actors in period dress. One safety expert says it's 'excellent' — but it has drawbacks.

In the wake of so many in-air safety incidents this year, safety experts still love it, but passengers may not be so sure.

A modern airplane captain stands next to a man and a woman who are sat in commercial airplane seats. They are all in Regency-era regal period home, and the man and woman are dressed in an aristocratic style from the same period.
A British Airways captain next to two Regency-era characters.
  • British Airways released a new in-flight safety video styled as a British period drama.
  • Directed by Sharon Maguire, it features over 40 staff and was filmed in grand country houses.
  • One aviation safety expert called it "excellent," but the fun, comedic approach has drawbacks.

British Airways released its newest in-flight safety video in late July, styled as a classic British period drama, along the lines of "Bridgerton" and "Pride and Prejudice."

The production was directed by Sharon Maguire, famous for her film Bridget Jones' Diary. It includes over 40 British Airways staff and was filmed in grand country houses across the UK.

While the video is meant to demonstrate the safety procedures for the aircraft, including how to fasten your seatbelt and how to fit an oxygen mask, many airlines have also added comedy to their safety videos in recent years.

The video has already received over 950,000 views on YouTube.

However, in the wake of several high-profile aviation incidents since January, some passengers could be concerned that the Regency-era gags distract from vital security information.

British Airways had originally canceled the film's premiere at a cinema in south London in May, according to The Daily Telegraph, after a Singapore Airlines flight was hit by severe turbulence earlier that day, resulting in one death and 104 injuries.

With passengers understandably very shaken, airlines may question whether entertaining safety videos cover the necessary information for passengers and strike the right tone.

A man dressed in a white flowy shirt with wet hair and sideburns wears an airline life vest.
In a scene reminiscent of the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice, a Mr. Darcy-like character wears an airline life vest.

"A major problem with most cabin briefings is that they are too mundane and tend to be ignored entirely," said Shem Malmquist, a B-777 pilot and one of the primary authors of the seventh edition of "Commercial Aviation Safety."

"I like this approach, and it does a good job capturing the important bits," he said.

Guy Gratton, Associate Professor of Aviation and Environment specializing in air transport safety at Cranfield University, agreed.

"I think that it's absolutely excellent," he said. "It's part of an entirely appropriate current tradition of using entertainment principles to get passengers to listen to pre-flight safety briefings."

However, the video does have drawbacks. As noted by Business Insider's Taylor Rains, who previously worked in airline safety for Allegiant Air, the video was not filmed on an airplane, meaning it does not necessarily provide a realistic view of what might happen in an emergency.

The lack of visual cues could also be difficult for those who do not speak English as a first language.

Three women in Regency-era costume are sat, looking confused, in airline seats with oxygen masks in front of them.
Three Regency-era women seem bewildered by the oxygen masks in front of them.

The history of comedic instructional videos on airlines began in 2007 with an animated film by Virgin America, which included a matador, his bull, and a nun. Since then, other highlights have included Air New Zealand's 2014 Lord of the Rings epic and British Airways' 2017 and 2018 star-studded videos, which included Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean and Gordon Ramsay.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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