United Airlines has introduced a new onboard safety video that features over a dozen of its employees demonstrating essential safety procedures. The video, designed to capture the attention of even the most frequent fliers, was filmed inside a life-sized, airplane-inspired sequential reaction machine. The development of this creative video began in June 2023 and drew inspiration from the coordinated actions of United employees who ensure safe operations. The new video, titled “Safety in Motion,” will start showing on select aircraft from May 25, 2024, and will roll out across the fleet over the summer.
United collaborated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the development of the safety video from October 2023 to March 2024. This collaboration included multiple checkpoints to review and approve the storyboard and script before filming began, ensuring the content met FAA requirements.
Sasha Johnson, Vice President of Corporate Safety for United, emphasized the importance of the video: “Safety is the foundation of everything we do at 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.”
Creative Concept and Features
“Safety in Motion” follows a ball as it navigates through a sequential reaction machine, moving through airplane-inspired setups like chutes, a snack cart, seatbelts, windows, and directional signage. Real United employees demonstrate key safety procedures throughout the video. Maggie Schmerin, Chief Advertising Officer for United, explained the creative concept: “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.”
The video features:
- 171 customized versions to accommodate United’s eight aircraft types, 20 seat configurations, and 18 languages
- 12 individual contraptions the ball passes through in the machine
- 17 employees from various departments, including flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents, ramp service, tech operations, the network operations center, and reservations
- Over 1,000 real dominoes
- The 100-year-old song “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin, a consistent feature in United safety videos
The production involved United’s creative agency of record, 72andSunny, production partner 1stAveMachine, and award-winning director Karim Zariffa.
Investments in Safety Training
“Safety in Motion” not only showcases mandated safety procedures but also highlights United’s commitment to continuous safety training. United’s pilots complete simulator training every nine months, and flight attendants refresh their qualifications every 18 months.
In 2023, United expanded its Flight Training Center in Denver, adding a new 150,000 square-foot building. The facility now boasts over 52 state-of-the-art full-motion flight simulators. Additionally, United’s largest Inflight Training Center in Houston has new classrooms, cabin and door trainers, and an aquatic center for practicing water landings.
Since 2020, United requires all pilots to participate in an annual Pilot Professional Development training. This full-day, interactive training, which exceeds FAA requirements, uses actual United case studies to enhance pilots’ skills in self-awareness, confidence, mentoring, and leadership.
United Airlines’ new safety video, “Safety in Motion,” features real employees demonstrating key safety procedures in a creative, engaging format. The video, developed in collaboration with the FAA, underscores United’s commitment to passenger safety and ongoing training for its crew. With the introduction of this innovative safety video and continuous investments in training facilities, United aims to enhance the safety and preparedness of both its employees and passengers.
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