{"id":517387,"date":"2026-03-04T04:39:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T04:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/517387\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T04:39:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T04:39:15","slug":"airline-returns-to-basics-after-criticism-of-2024-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/517387\/","title":{"rendered":"Airline returns to basics after criticism of 2024 version"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chris Zappone\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6d9ecb063feb3ba3ecf4285d83ed48eb9b67f554.png\"  width=\"64\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 cJPmxL\"\/>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 NcyxX\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 kfUMNO cdQiAR\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-369d9219-1 eGTSJh\">Save this article for later<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-369d9219-2 crcSSW\">Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n<p>Got it<\/p>\n<p>AAA<\/p>\n<p>Qantas has quietly rolled out a new in-flight safety video that ditches its previous emphasis on global destinations and diversity, replacing it with a much shorter and more direct presentation.<\/p>\n<p>The safety video, which premiered on 737 flights late last week, opens with a scene from the expansive and still-empty <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/national\/nsw\/best-seats-in-the-house-new-airport-brings-comfort-to-the-economy-class-20250806-p5mkqb.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Western Sydney International Airport,<\/a> which it notes in small text is on the land of the Dharug people.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The roughly four-minute-long video is primarily set aboard planes, with passing glimpses of Australian airports.<\/p>\n<p>The previous video, from 2024, began with an Indigenous crew member speaking about her \u201cmagic place\u201d in the Northern Territory before touring through Qantas staff members\u2019 and customers\u2019 favourite places across the world, many with local cultural performances in the background.<\/p>\n<p>The full-length version ran for about 9\u00bd minutes and faced criticism for distracting viewers from safety information by interspersing it with clips from places ranging from Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory to Queenstown, New Zealand; Lapland in northern Finland; and Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>The video begins with a group of Qantas pilots and crew in their uniforms striding across a runway towards a plane. A pilot says: \u201cWelcome to Qantas. For over 100 years, safety has been our number one priority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re about to hear from the people who make us one of the world\u2019s safest airlines,\u201d she says, followed by a flight attendant identifying the plane type before the video cuts to the interior of a 737 with another flight attendant explaining how the seat belts work.<\/p>\n<p>After a quick animation showing Qantas aircraft of the past, the video features flight attendants and ground crew demonstrating seat belts, oxygen masks and aisle lighting, with only modest movie magic.<\/p>\n<p>New rules <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/business\/consumer-affairs\/qantas-virgin-to-ban-use-of-power-banks-on-planes-after-spate-of-fires-20251121-p5nhb8.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">banning the use of power banks<\/a> on planes are also included.<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/business\/companies\/the-great-flight-safety-video-divide-all-about-seatbelts-or-cinema-20251016-p5n34w.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Off script: how far is too far for flight safety videos?\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/00656bea5037f56e6cee552ead315468dee8ca527440798c8d97743e6225f837.gif\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 jiJqza\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Qantas group safety chief Mark Cameron said: \u201cSafety videos are a critical part of flying and are complementary to the role that our cabin crew play to deliver safety messages to our customers,\u201d said<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur latest safety video is filmed on board our aircraft and in our training centres and features our people demonstrating key safety information for our customers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The video is a return to basics, following the lush 2024 video, which attracted scrutiny and criticism from the public and unions.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, then chief customer officer Catriona Larritt said Qantas was \u201cproud to feature our own well-travelled team members and customers, to not only deliver the safety message but also promote travel and tourism by inspiring people to explore destinations they may not have experienced throughout Australia and beyond\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Airlines like British Airways and Air New Zealand produce elaborate, star-studded films whose tourism and entertainment rival the safety content of their message.<\/p>\n<p>Airlines point to the need to capture the flying public\u2019s attention in order to convey a safety message. However, the films have become <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/business\/companies\/the-great-flight-safety-video-divide-all-about-seatbelts-or-cinema-20251016-p5n34w.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a bit of an arm\u2019s race between airlines<\/a>, especially national carriers who use it as a tourism marketing tool.<\/p>\n<p>Critics contend such productions undermine safety communications.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, Teri O\u2019Toole, the federal secretary of the Flight Attendants\u2019 Association of Australia, said she couldn\u2019t \u201csee anything\u201d in the 2024 video \u201cthat assist[ed] a cabin crew as a first responder to do their role\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In a possible nod to this debate, Qantas this week said the primary objective of the video was to ensure customers understood the safety procedures, but it also needed to capture their attention so safety remained in front of mind.<\/p>\n<p>And that particularly goes for regular flyers who might otherwise tune out.<\/p>\n<p>Qantas said it typically refreshes its videos every couple of years, like most airlines.<\/p>\n<p>Initial reception to the new video appears positive.<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/business\/consumer-affairs\/how-to-make-the-most-of-qantas-new-loyalty-rules-20260226-p5o5ph.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Qantas loyalty boss Andrew Glance, CEO Vanessa Hudson and CFO Rob Marcolina in Sydney on Thursday.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/86811ece9c7d55f6812aa82ab68d98c3f986b8b3.jpeg\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 jiJqza\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One comment on the Australian Frequent Flyer Forum this week said the new video looked like it was \u201cfar more focused on the no-nonsense safety procedures on board, which would reflect a growing trend away from the videos that, while better at getting attention, were bordering on abstract and doubling as advertisements\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Comments on the same forum for the 2024 video were harsher.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI tried to keep going through the whole thing and failed, and I normally love the QF safety videos. Although it is beautifully shot, it is so glacially paced and uninteresting that it felt like a chore to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/link\/follow-20170101-p56j4t\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up to get it every weekday morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 NcyxX\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 kfUMNO cdQiAR\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chris Zappone\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6d9ecb063feb3ba3ecf4285d83ed48eb9b67f554.png\"  width=\"40\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 cJPmxL\"\/><a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY sc-b5b9fd03-2 bOdPsp\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/by\/chris-zappone-hve6u\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Zappone<\/a> is a senior reporter covering aviation and business. He is former digital foreign editor.Connect via <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY sc-b5b9fd03-5 cqyqDm\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/chrizap?lang=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">X<\/a>, <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY sc-b5b9fd03-5 cqyqDm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/\/chriszapponepublic\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a> or <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hLTVHY sc-b5b9fd03-5 cqyqDm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/business\/companies\/mailto:czappone@nine.com.au\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. 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