FAA Pre-filght Passenger Briefing Made Fun

I'm more of a United/American Airlines kind of frequent flyer but if Southwest made this kind of passenger interaction a regular feature I might stray from my other frequent flyer programs:

[youtube:g6472yup][/youtube:g6472yup]

I hear Southwest is famous for making their pre-flight announcements fun. Its part of their culture and has contributed quite a bit in making them the most successful domestic carrier. People love working for them.

United on the other hand......

I have to confess that I spend too much time at airports and on airplanes and I can recount at least one story about how every airline I have traveled with has botched my plans, bumped my reservation, lost my luggage, or diverted to an alternate airport for various reasons.

What I enjoyed about the video was the sociology going on between the crew and the passengers. Instead of the sterile, standard "you will do this because the FAA says so" speech the passengers were entertained and interacted with the crew. It's probably me but when I have to speak in front of a group of people I like to break the ice by saying things that are humorous while also addressing the truth. I was also left with the impression that the Southwest crew on this flight would probably bend over backward to help any passenger but the announcement was a way of setting some limits so no one felt neglected or abused (with the possible exception of kids old enough to comprehend the "earning potential" comment).

But what do I know? My degrees are in Information Systems and Technology, with a minor in Information Systems Security (and they're dated... Don't ask, I feel old already).