Gamifying the Flight Safety Instructions

During my ongoing literature review I often discover interesting facts about things I’ve never thought about. Sometimes I can connect these facts with my own observations: The result is mostly a completely new idea why things are as they are. Maybe these ideas are new to you, too. Therefore I’ll share my new science based knowledge with you!

This week: This time, I think about a potential game that could present the important flight safety instructions in a more engaging and effective way. In addition, this game could help passengers suffering from flight anxiety to get distracted from the uncomfortable situation.

Every of my commercial flight experiences has had the exact same beginning. Shortly before the pushback, a short video is being shown to demonstrate the safety instructions to the passengers. The animated video presents the location of the exits, the way how to operate the seat belt, the behaviour in case of a pressure leak, etc. Of course, presenting those instructions is critical in case of a real emergency, but they are not very appealing and engaging. Most passengers even ignore them as they are shown on a very small screen and presented in a very monotone way.

As touch-screens and mobile devices become more and more common, an interesting addition to the presentation of this safety video might be a serious game that demonstrates those safety rules in a vivid and engaging way. Of course, completely removing the video or some kind of general presentation of the safety rules is not possible as some passengers might not be interested in playing a game and hence would not be aware of the safety instructions.

In contrast to the video approach, the serious game would be more engaging and hence more effective as the passengers are personally involved in the process of learning about the safety instructions. In addition, as this approach also demands problem-solving skills, passengers who suffer from flight anxiety might get distracted from all the pre-flight preparations. This could be even enhanced, if the serious game in question provides clear goals, an immediate feedback as well as an increasing difficulty level. If those requirements are met, a player might even get into the state of flow. While being in flow, the user is completely immersed in the activity and forgets about all the other surrounding events.

Moreover, the game could be made available for the remainder of the flight and could be used to demonstrate other events that might occur during a flight. For instance, experiencing some turbulences can be scary for passengers suffering from flight anxiety. If the game shows what exactly is causing those turbulences and why the plane is shaking, they might partly overcome their anxiety.

Finally, the serious game could also be available for mobile devices and accompany a passenger throughout the whole process of traveling by plane. This would also help passengers suffering from flight anxiety to get distracted from the uncomfortable thoughts prior to boarding an airplane.

In general, the serious game could be a point-and-click adventure. During the gameplay, a player explores a series of levels that present the common steps of traveling by plane. For instance, the first level could start at the security check and show the passengers what things they have to put in the boxes. Personally, I am all the time confused what things I have to put in the boxes, and as a result of this, I would greatly appreciate if I would have an engaging guide. This level could be followed by a level explaining the steps necessary to complete the pre-flight preparations which includes the presentation of the safety instructions. Subsequently, the game could present other events that can occur during a flight. Finally, the game would conclude with a level presenting all the relevant information about the landing.

In the end, this approach would result in a more engaging way of presenting the safety instructions leading to a potential increased learning outcome and faster evacuation of the plane in case of an emergency. In addition, the serious game could help passengers suffering from flight anxiety to get distracted.