When Flight Attendants Speak (and Dance)

"Communication is a registry of modern longings. The term evokes a utopia where nothing is misunderstood, hearts are open, and expression is uninhibited."

- Speaking into the Air, John Durham Peters


I never really thought that my training with Cebu Pacific flight attendants would be a thought-provoking experience for me. Since I have been doing trainings for Cebu Pacific employees (who come from various departments like Treasury, Accounting, Quality Control, Call Center/Reservations) for the past three months, I accepted this "special communication skills training for the cabin crew" even on a short notice and amidst my busy schedule. And this is not because of the recent brouhaha over the dancing flight attendants. As a communications graduate and practitioner, it has always been my joy to be given the chance to impart whatever theories and skills I have learned regarding communicating effectively to others (which, by the way, is a solid four-year degree in UP). And I was surprised that this training later presented to me a more profound issue rooted in our modern business culture, which treats people as "human resources."

Although the true objective of this special training was not made clear to me at the onset, I found out that the In-flight Announcements are part of the suggested program. And since the announcements are too many, yes, I decided to focus on the now-sensational safety demonstration part.

To set the mood as I start the class, I asked my trainees if any of them had already danced in one of their flights. They were all quick in giving me a vigorous "no," as if telling me that they had not, do not, and will not dance at all. I clarified their responses and threw a follow-up question: will you dance if you were asked to? They all said no. (Later, some of them remarked that the dancing cabin crew are chosen based on their looks, body, and attitude, which was translated as "kapal ng mukha.")

So, we went on with the training and during the discussion, one of the trainees asked me of the right way to pronounce a certain phrase, which happens to be from the safety demonstration part. I told them that that will be our cumulative activity for the day: to recite the safety instructions while employing the principles of proper diction, intonation, stress, and emphasis.

Since I was very busy prior to the actual training day, I didn't get to have the chance to read it beforehand. Now, as I asked my trainees to prepare, I went through the material quickly and found out that:

(1) the actual words used in the safety instructions announcement are not written to be heard. Any communications practitioner would easily identify that the words in the announcement are composed in such a way that it is difficult to recite orally and thus, it is audibly unwelcoming.

As each of the flight attendants recite the announcement, I also observed that:

(2) they speak fast and seem to follow a certain cadence/rhythm that unfortunately shows the incongruity between the words that are coming out of their mouths and the thought that they are supposed to be sending across. This was most evident in the senior flight attendants and is gradually picked up by the newer ones. Although they sounded pleasant, like a voice machine, they sounded just like that: a machine. They told me that they do not have the leisure to do any creative variation for the announcement since they have to finish their demonstration in 2-3 minutes, or as soon as the plane lifts off. I told them it is possible by asking them to set the timer for me as I read the announcement myself. My version only lasted for 1.5 minutes.

Still, they told me that, with the demands of their work, this kind of communication is only ideal. On their third and fourth flight for the day, they are usually tired and too exhausted to speak with dynamism and energy as I did.

This bothers me because when flight attendants speak, they do not just simply function as any machine or as an electronic manual does. Neither it is for the entertainment of the passengers as the plane lifts off. They speak because they are humans, who understand the value of life and security, just like any other human inside the flying plane does. And if there will be any creative way to do it, it is not by asking them to dance it. Instead, we treat them as humans so they can also speak as humans.

I understand the reality of being tired and of bodies wearing out. And I admire all our flight attendants for all the hard work and service they are putting into their jobs. But if this is the inevitable case, I call on Cebu Pacific to do a recorded version of this announcement instead. At least, this is timed, well-spoken, and clearly understood by its listeners - as the intention of every communication activity should be.

Now, if I only remember images of men and women dancing as the plane crashes down, I rest my case.

Teaching Teenage Students

I was at a dilemma one morning on whether or not I’d go to school upon waking up with very swollen vocal chords and bad fever due to the infection of my larynx. I remember that earlier, the head teacher informed me that he will be attending a seminar today and therefore, he will not be able to attend the class. This left me then with no choice but to go to school.

Despite my physical conditions, I still managed to smile and got on with the lessons. However, as with my encounters with them for the past days, the students began going overboard despite my initial requests (or pleas) for them to focus. Too tired to match their energies, I instead took off the headset, looked afar, and stopped speaking.

The conscientious students then started reprimanding the other students. When they settled, I got on with the class as if nothing happened. I knew that they already feel that I had enough.

Teaching teenage students has its own distinctive share of challenges that is very different from teaching preschool kids and young adults in college. They are no longer kids yet they would like to engage in childish games every now and then. And yet, when you treat them as you would a playful kid, they seem to demand respect as that of full-grown adults.

So that is what I try to give them to the best of my abilities. Culling from my own experiences as a high school student, I maintained a credible stance as a teacher of the subject matter that I am teaching while enjoying every moment of it. In fact, the teachers that I most admired are those who are very good in what they do and, at the same time, having fun.

I was also hungry for positive affirmation then (and even until now), so I make it a point that I praise or recognize the efforts of the students to learn and participate in class.

The only weakness that I see is that I have this tendency to please the students so that I would be “liked” – thus, (I admit) be popular among them. This weak spot was further validated by one student who wrote in the evaluation form that I should not respond to every comment or request made by her “boastful” classmates (she may be referring to her classmates who love to call attention to themselves).

Teaching teenage students, then, demands that the teacher is willing to face the tension of growing up and wanting to live only for the moment. My worth as a teacher will only be valuable when I have inspired courage in any of my students to squarely deal with whatever dilemma their growing up brings - in the hope that they will make the right choice as I did when I decided to go to school nevertheless.