With everything that’s gone on with the US3 over the past few weeks (with American now on the back foot), it was timely that Film4 in the UK played everyone’s favourite aviation comedy – Airplane!
Just before it went out on air, I tweeted this:
Please note airlines. #Airplane is not an instruction manual on how to handle #paxex. #iamserious #dontcallmeshirley
— Kevin-Economy&Beyond (@EconomyBeyond) April 22, 2017
And it got me thinking… how much Airplane has been referenced recently…
I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley.
Perhaps this scene was the best one taken out of context…
United Airlines in-flight staff training video leaked. pic.twitter.com/9de0L0PlGJ
— Alan Ferrier (@alanferrier) April 10, 2017
Although you might feel this as well boarding a flight these days:
“No, I’ve been nervous lots of times.” #Airplane pic.twitter.com/nUlVx2Wzi6
— Film4 (@Film4) April 22, 2017
And there is a bit to think about, although there are some signs of good passenger experience in the film (like the ticketing service, meals on planes and of course the evacuation of the plane after landing).
However, there are poor signs of passenger experience in it too – like the rough handling of passengers, the lack of food inspection, the security scans as well as some very dubious airport operations (like a 747 going throw the glass of the terminal, and the constant gate changes).
So should Airplane! be used as a lesson in not to handle Passenger Experience? There are lessons to be learned, that’s for sure – even today.
I suppose the best legacy of Airplane! and Airplane 2: The Squeal are simply this: they put an end to the Airport series of disaster films.
And we can all be grateful for that.
Jeanne at Le Chic Geek has much more on the background of Airplane! and Zero Hour than I ever can write.
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