United Airlines has debuted a new onboard safety video, where more than a dozen United employees provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations of critical safety procedures.
The video was filmed inside a life-sized, airplane-inspired sequential reaction machine, with a creative concept designed to capture and keep the attention of even the most frequent fliers.
Development of the new video began in June 2023 and was inspired by the teams of United employees whose co-ordinated actions ensure the airline operates safely. The new video will debut on select aircraft starting May 25 and will roll out across the fleet over the summer.
“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at United,” said Sasha Johnson, Vice President of Corporate Safety for United. “Safety starts with being prepared. We have ongoing, rigorous safety training for our crews. And we also make sure our customers know what to do in the event of an emergency. We are proud that our new safety video empowers passengers by giving them information and clear instructions.”
United’s New Safety Video by the Numbers
The new video – titled “Safety in Motion” – follows a ball as it makes its way through the sequential reaction machine, rolling and bouncing through airplane-inspired set-ups that include chutes, a snack cart and drink cup, seatbelts, windows, seats, directional signage and more as real United employees demonstrate key safety procedures. See here for a behind-the-scenes look.
“The safest safety video is one that passengers actively watch. Our creative concept was inspired by the idea of connection and the many moments of any given day that our employee work groups have to connect to be able to get thousands of flights off the ground and to their destinations safely,” said Maggie Schmerin, Chief Advertising Officer for United. “We worked across the airline to ensure our new safety video clearly and succinctly communicates critical information in a way passengers can’t help but watch – no matter their age, background or experience travelling.”
- 171 customised versions of the safety video to accommodate United’s 8 different aircraft types, 20 various seat configurations on those aircraft and 18 languages
- Ten months in the making – Creative development on the new video began in June 2023; filming took place in October 2023 and then the team spent the next five months on edits and translations before the March 2023 FAA approval
- 12 individual contraptions the ball passes through in the machine
- 17 employees from across the airline, including flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents, ramp service, tech operations, the network operations center and reservations
- More than 1,000 real dominoes
- A 100-year old song, “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin, that’s been a consistent feature in United safety videos over the years
