‘Magic’ New Zealand destination features in new Qantas safety video
Wednesday, 24 January 2024
New Zealand has got a starring role in Qantas’ new in-flight safety video.
The Australian national carrier released a six-minute version of one that will be condensed for onboard.
Qantas pilots, staff and frequent flyers shared the safety information from their “magic place” destinations, opening with Litchfield National Park in Darwin.
Flying over in a helicopter, Qantas pilot Lorcan Young then said his “magic place” is Milford Sound in the South Island, before jumping out and catching a crayfish.
The new video is replacingthe Qantas centenary-themed video that has been screening since 2020, showcasing the airline and its uniforms through the decades.
But the video has been met with mixed reactions on social media, as only five of the 14 destinations featured were actually in Australia.
“I think I prefer the other one, much more represents the spirit of Australia,” one person said on Instagram.
“Where is the Qantas spirit in this? Meh,” wrote another.
“Didn’t like this one, it’s too long and shows cities that aren’t Qantas destinations”.
A spokesperson said all of the destinations featured were accessible on the Qantas domestic or international network or through the oneworld alliance network.
However the feedback was not all negative, with one person saying “It‘s not about destinations of Qantas but the favourite spots of all the people around the world - congrats for giving your customers [and] employees this kind of popular place. Yes its long but its worth every second.”
Qantas chief customer officer Catriona Larritt said safety was its number one priority, and the video, together with cabin crew, played a key role in getting travellers to watch and listen to the critical information.
“First and foremost, the video is about familiarising our customers with safety procedures and we try to make it as engaging as possible, in particular for regular flyers who might otherwise tune out,” she said.
Eyes have been on safety videos of late after Japan Airlines’ one was credited for getting passengers out safely when one of its planes collided with a coastguard aircraft.
JAL’s video had a section that specifically showed what to do in an evacuation – and how aisles would be blocked, and exit slides hard to navigate if a passenger tried to bring a suitcase with them.
Qantas’ new video will be rolled out on Qantas flights from Wednesday, with 75 versions including 12 different languages.
Featured destinations:
Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Los Angeles, United States of America
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Jaipur, India
Freycinet, Tasmania
Lapland, Finland
Seoul, South Korea
Marrakesh, Morocco
Rome, Italy
Paris, France
Sydney, New South Wales
Noosa, Queensland