Make Better PAs!
 

Unnecessary or unclear chatter from the pilots to the passengers?

1. Giving altitude in feet. Passengers don't know the difference between FL330, 370, and 380. Who cares how high you are? If you'd like them to know, translate it into miles instead.
   
2. Announcing total flying time after you're airborne. What passenger looked at his watch to note the liftoff time?
   
3. Announcing what cities you'll be flying over today. Passengers don't care, they want to know the cities as you fly over them. Unless it's late at night.
   
4. Saying that you'll be landing on runway "one eight". Say what? :rolleyes: That means absolutely nothing to 98% of the people in back. Use the words North, South, etc. instead. Think like a news weatherman.

Anyone else care to add? Just trying to make us better communicators with our customers.

I was in the back yesterday on a flight and the pilot said "Philadelphia is using an east operation this evening, though the winds don't support it. This resulted in a lot of extra vectoring from ATC to get runway 9 right and now we are holding short of 9L to get to the gate."

Plenty of words that no passengers had a clue about, I'd bet:
-East operation
-Vectoring
-ATC
-9L
-9R

I would have said, "When the winds at Philadelphia are like they are tonight, the airport slows down. We might have to wait a few minutes more than usual on the ground after landing."

The pilot went on to give the temperature and dewpoint in celcius, the ceiling in feet and that "the computer says we will be 5 minutes late."

As a passenger with more miles than is good for me, I like to be as informed as possible. And now that I am a student pilot, I appreciate and understand the technical lingo sometimes used.

This is probably just me, but I’d like to hear the following:

As we are pushing back or whenever safe, give me the duration of the flight, time we arrive at destination, weather at destination, possibility of turbulence on the way.

On a clear day, tell me that it’s Mt. Rushmore on the left side or that in 5 minutes we are flying over the Great Salt Lake and those on the right side can see it. It’s ok to play tour guide and be proud possessor of geographic tidbits.

When landing at my home airport, I know what Runway 34 is, but it’s nice to know that we are making a loop or something because of the direction in which we are coming in. And if the loop involves going over Mt. Rainier, I know other passengers not from Seattle would appreciate knowing it.

Many of these factoids (sorry HSLD, I can’t get that word out of my head since you used it) are freely given by the flight attendant already, but it’s nice to hear the perspective from the flightdeck.

I also would enjoy a good joke or two. I was on American once and the captain was the funniest guy. It made my day.

Needless to say, I am one of those glued to the screen on those international flights where they show the progress of this little airplane superimposed on the world map.

As someone who commutes a lot, across this very wide country, I'd prefer that the guys in the cockpit: a) welcome us on board; b) tell us it's going to be a smooth ride; c) tell us when we're about a half hour from landing; and finally d) thank us for flying with ABC airline. Any more than that just interferes with whatever book I'm reading or thought I'm having at that moment.

As well, here's some things that I don't care to hear: a) that we're number 21 for takeoff; b) an announcement about any and all cities and historical landmarks that are always on the other side of the jet; c) that we will be landing on whatever runway; d) that the winds at the airport are such and such; e) and my most disliked announcement - when we're 5 feet from the gate, the flight attendant always announces "please remain in your seat with your seat belt fastened, until the captain has turned off the seatbelt sign." This announcement always ends with the captain turning off the seatbelt sign within 2 seconds of the announcement. Why bother.

Just my .02 cents.

Most announcements are mandatory (FAA or company SOP) so you don't have a lot of choice on those. As a commuter, I like to hear these "extra" flight deck announcements (and that is what I do)...

- If delayed during taxi, ET to T/O
- Enroute landmarks (and revised ETA) only for significant landmarks on long flights (daytime only, at night please ****)
- Descent announcement w/ ETA and gate. At night I delay this as long as possible.
- Reason and ETA for any post-landing ground delays.

The announcement to stay seated while waiting for marshallers is actually a very good idea...otherwise all the paxs get up and open bins which can create a problem when you finally do pull forward and hit the brakes. It saves the FA the trouble of yelling at people.

Glad we now have your order. Now all we need to know is what the other 100 passengers want. I've got a hunch it is not exactly the same as your request.

Just a hunch.

BTW, how do you know what "most" passengers want??? Or should they just want what you want?

You do it your way when you're Captain....

[QUOTE=Anyone else care to add? Just trying to make us better communicators with our customers.[/QUOTE]

:cool: I also add that 'our flight plan is scheduled for 1+30, we will consume XXX gallons of jet fuel; that's 1/2 mpg or 18 gallons for each one of you.' Kinda gives the pax an idea of the great bargain (18 gallons to go from MSP-LGA) that they are getting.

Got to make this one hoss. If a passenger stands up the plane can't taxi. I've seen many an idiotic passenger stand up prior to the gate. A fed will fine you heavily. If a passenger falls and gets hurt...you get the idea. Heavily stressed at most pax carriers as SOP.

I agree with you, WTFU. Many guys make PA's that don't take into consideration what the average passenger knows about aviation.

Bad example, "We'll be landing Three Six"
Good example, "We'll be landing to the North today"

Simple stuff it seems, but pilots will always screw things up ;)

moronic p.a.'s
 

"Please remain seated for "the entire duration" of the flight,...":confused: A little redundant maybe?

It's not that this announcement shouldn't be made, just not 2 feet from the gate. Timing is everything in life, and the timing on this announcement usually stinks, because many times, even before the announcement ends, the seatbelt sign comes off as the motors are shut down. However, maybe that's what's needed based on the passengers' length of concentration.;)

what is an announcement??

The PA system in the SAAB is so bad that no one knows what the hell we are saying anyways

I don't let my F/O's make announcements anymore because of the bonehead things I have heard over the years. But one neat thing we have at United is “channel 9” which is usually set for ATC. But when we near level-off and I turn the seatbelt sign off, I ask the pax to join me on channel 9. I talk about the a/c, who is flying, and several other aviation things that you can never talk about over the P.A.
So those who don’t want to hear anything from me don’t have to and those that do get more than they asked for. Neat feature.

Do you let the F/O fly or does he just run the checklists? I guess you don't get your charm and wit until the 4th stripe. Would it be OK during a ground evac with you incapacitated for the F/O to make a PA announcement? Great, now looks like with Age 60 that I will get 25 years instead of 20 more years to get paired with you. Keep your beer money.

Can't I get your employee number so I can add you to my avoid list?

Bonehead F/O

The Vigilante
 

Heard a funny story from a F/A about the above situation --- might even have been true: A little guy disregarded that PA and dropped a heavy item on the head of a Very Large Passenger. The VLP grabbed the offender, raised him to the ceiling, and bounced him up and down a few times while shouting "DIDN'T she TELL you to STAY in your SEAT?" (Whole cabin paralyzed with laughter for several minutes).

I know, I know -- VLP did a very naughty thing. :p

Real Pilot - Really, your a pilot.
I would probably let you get me coffee. Think you can handle that.

That attitude of, "only the FO can make mistakes" and "I as the captain am perfect" is what causes accidents.

What if your FO was a Public Relations person?

In not letting him make PA's you would: 1. under utilize a valuable resource and 2. miss an opprotunity to learn.

Remember that no one is perfect and that there is always some one out there who is better than you at everything.

There is a reason why there are two (or three. or four) people up there.

What about this P.A.?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pysnp6-PdOs

So I was reading your post and said to myself "boy, that was a really dumb thing to have said." It's certainly ok for you to not allow the f/o to make those announcements, but it's certainly not ok for you to actually come out and say that. Most good captains I know try to take others feelings into account, if possible.

On southwest the told everyone "If you look out the left side of the aircraft, (pause) you will miss everything on the right". This of course was in the middle of a long night and everyone was sleeping. We had all just awaken from the PA chime and were all totally confused and baffled. Voices in the background chattering "huh, what did he say? whats of the left? No, the right? HUH???

My solution is to make almost no PAs during normal ops. (Different rules for irregular ops and safety items). The frequent fliers just want to hear the weather and that we'll be on time, and are somewhat annoyed by the travel monologue. The once-a-year group wants the full tour guide routine, but they tend to buy tickets based on price, and have little or no loyalty to my airline. Why would I want to tick off my best customers in order to please an infrequent flyer?

Flying the Song or airshow equipped airplanes provides a bonus: All the garbage I'd normally be spouting is available from the IFE system.

The PA is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in the cockpit. Use it with care.

Perhaps I hurt some peoples feelings to suggest that I don’t let the F/O make announcements. But to insure that only the bare legal minimum is spewed over the P.A. , I make the announcements. The guys coming out of the military are not trained and experienced in making many announcements and most airlines or commuters do not give a lot directions in the subject. I also instruct the F/A’s to minimize the announcements on red-eye flights. It’s all about the passenger and if the F/O gets their feelings hurt than I’m sorry. But if they want to chat on channel 9 for an hour then that’s OK.
- I balance it out a little because I do most walk- arounds.

I fly from ORF to CMH through BWI a lot and there is a Captain for SW that I have had the pleasure of riding with several times. This guy could be a comedian if his airline job ever gives out. All of the times I have been on a plane with him he grabs the PA while everyone is boarding and pretty much keeps everyone rolling. This has to be the best time I have had on a comercial flight. That guy just cracks me up.

Once again, because you dont trust the guy sitting next to you.

Here's an idea: If you don't like listening to PA's, bring a pair of earplugs... They're like 69 cents.

It's the Captain's job to make PA's. I've heard people complain about too many, and too few. You can't please everybody.

As far as technical jargon goes, try watching your local weather-bimbo on TV and see how much technocrap she throws in... Most folks don't know the difference between a low pressure system and low pressure tire light in their car, but that doesn't stop Melissa Storm from using language she's used to in her profession. No need to dumb it down for the masses.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

This reminded me of a something.

A couple years ago with my previous employer, we fly into LGA the day after all flights were cancelled for snow. Every flight the next day is full to the gills. As we sit up front figuring out how many bags we can carry to JAX, the capt decides to make a PA telling them about the Delay.

"Good morning ladies and Gentlemen...Bla..Bla..Bla, we are currently trying to find out just how many bags we can take to Jacksonville....Bla Bla Bla..We'll be on our way as soon as we can."

I looked at him and said "That may not have been the best thing to say."
Almost Instantaneously you could hear almost every FA chime in the back go off.

FA comes up and says "What did you just say? Every one back there is worried about their bag. Almost all of them are going on Cruises."

Capt gets back on the PA and tries to backpedal unsuccessfully. We taxi out with quite a few bags out on the Snow covered Ramp. Gotta love the RJ.

EDC757 " I balance it out because I do most walkarounds."

I do when it's raining

This whole thread reminds me of why working for AA is so awesome....

F/Os don't even make PAs! One less thing to do, sweet.

Actually, the only PA we make is a retarded one as we approach the gate reminding everyone to "remain seated until the CA turns off the seatbelt sign, FAs prepare for arrival and cross check." Dumb. At every other airline, the FAs make this PA. I'd rather be looking outside as we approach, not talking on the PA.

But like I said, it's kinda nice to to have to worry about making PAs anymore.

That said, if CAs offer me the PAs on my legs, I take always take 'em to practice every now and then.

Now THAT'S comedy.

Thank you , thank you, I'm here all week.

You've got to be kidding me. How much training do you think it takes to make a PA? When I was with Delta, we were given a small book during indoc that had a suggested PA for just about every possible situation one could encounter on the line. It also informed us when, and when not to make PAs. This isn't rocket science.

When I was a FE at Delta, we made all the PAs.......as a FO in a two seat cockpit, the non-flying pilot made the PAs. The only exception would be if the Capt wanted to welcome the pax while we were still sitting at the gate. It's really not a big deal, get over yourself.

You would think, But as a high mins capt. on the 737 we diverted to MKE because ORD was below my mins. While I was calling dispatch on a landline the F/O says " Ladies and gentlemen the captain is not qualified to fly into ORD at this time and when the weather gets better we will continue to ORD". We depated with only half the pax we arrived with.

I just like to keep it simple so let me do it.

EDC, I hope the First bought the rounds that night. Unbelievable!
fbh

I'm gonna start another thread on worst/funniest PA messages from the flight crew.

The few times I have flown Jetblue, the pilots stood up in front of everyone prior to push back and made all their announcements. Kinda face to face. I wonder if thats an SOP?

It was highly encouraged at Independence Air. Not SOP, but it was encouraged. Captains that weren't comfortable doing so, were also encouraged to allow FOs that were to make the welcome aboard announcement. I'd imagine that the similar "policy" is in place at JetBlue.

Yeah that is a boneheaded thing to say. Instead of restricting all of your FO's, how about limiting just the ones that actually have said something stupid. You can't expect all of them to make a mistake.

You're like President Ford, can't speak and write at the same time
 

:confused:
"Perhaps I hurt some peoples feelings to suggest that I don’t let the F/O make announcements. But to insure that only the bare legal minimum is spewed over the P.A. , I make the announcements. The guys coming out of the military are not trained and experienced in making many announcements and most airlines or commuters do not give a lot directions in the subject. I also instruct the F/A’s to minimize the announcements on red-eye flights. It’s all about the passenger and if the F/O gets their feelings hurt than I’m sorry. But if they want to chat on channel 9 for an hour then that’s OK.
- I balance it out a little because I do most walk- arounds."


If you think you speak so well, why can't you spell?:)