The British Airways safety video is designed to keep customers better entertained and engaged while delivering important safety messages.
The “British Original Period Drama” movie stars more than 40 of the airline’s colleagues and was filmed in grand country houses across the UK.
The five-minute British Airways safety video film is inspired by Britain’s rich and varied history; made famous through its literature, TV and film and was directed by Sharon Maguire known for directing Bridget Jones’s Diary franchise.
Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said: “We know that these British Airways safety videos deliver vital safety information, and it is so important that we do everything we can to keep our customers engaged throughout. When it came to selecting a genre, we wanted something that would enable us to do this, while resonating with global audiences, so a period drama with a little bit of humour seemed like the perfect fit.
The film depicts ladies and lords of the manor, as well as housekeepers and butlers going about their everyday lives in period Britain, before being abruptly interrupted by present-day British Airways colleagues demonstrating the safety briefing.
At one point in the British Airways safety video, a 19th century socialite marvels at a moving picture, more commonly known in the 21st century as a laptop, before being reminded to store personal electronic devices before take-off.
“We have created something truly original and entertaining that celebrates what makes Britain – and British Airways – unique while communicating the importance of safety on board. I am also incredibly proud that more than 40 colleagues star in the film as we have always said it is our people who make us who we are.”
Sharon Maguire, the renowned British director of the safety video, said: “We put together a dream team of industry legends, from Jenny Beavan to Kave Quinn and Erik Wilson to Jack Ravenscroft. We wouldn’t have pulled it off without them. They just loved the idea created by the talented and lovely creative teams at Uncommon and British Airways.”
Helen Lau, a British Airways First Officer who plays herself, said: “As a First Officer, my job means I am in the flight deck during the safety briefing, so to know that I will be appearing on the video in the cabins feels very surreal. I love the closing line which says stay safe, look after one another and never change, which featured in the previous video, and I hope is carried onto the next. It’s such a touching and uniting phrase.”
The British Original safety video will be used on board British Airways’ long-haul and short haul flights with inflight entertainment screens. However an any short-haul aircraft without inflight entertainment screens, the airline’s cabin crew will continue to carry out a manual safety demonstration.
