Aside from checking our cell phones until the very last second and putting all our necessary magazines and snacks in the pouches in front of us, another routine part of taking off on a flight is hearing (but not always listening to) the safety instructions demonstrated by flight attendants.
In order to liven up the process, and possibly to call more attention to safety, Philippines-based airline Cebu Pacific has added a little spice to safety show via Lady Gaga.
Flight attendants for the airline now “Just Dance” to the pop star’s anthem while displaying how to use overhead bins, oxygen masks and seatbelts. The dance itself, while professionally choreographed, is really just a rhythmic, more upbeat version of the traditional demonstration.
A video of the “dance” gained 1.5 million hits on YouTube within the first 36 hours, and more than 5.1 million visitors since then.
The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines has issued a statement against the move, pointing to the potential controversy of turning flight attendants into mere entertainers. US safety regulators allow airlines to take certain freedoms when it comes to showcasing safety rules, as long as all critical safety points are clearly covered.
Comments on the video vary greatly. Some viewers applaud the attention to modernizing safety, and others see the act as controversial and possibly offensive.
Readers: What do you think?
