“And out the left side of the aircraft you’ll see…”
Posted by alexw0122@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 200 comments
Aviation enthusiast here; not licensed to fly anything. Wondering why it’s been at least 20 years since I heard a pilot do the whole tourism spiel when flying over landmarks. Have airlines largely discouraged this behavior? It’s totally possible this practice is alive and well and I’ve just managed to miss it for a while.
Just curious! (:
Superb-Photograph529@reddit
Everyone is too buried in their screens to care.
thphnts@reddit
A myriad of reasons could apply:
jerry22717@reddit
Slight clarification on number 2, every Part 121 airline operates a sterile cockpit below 10,000 feet because it is legally required by the CFRs. It's 14 CFR 121.542 if you wanna read the exact text.
SnooMaps7370@reddit
lol, i don't know why it never occurred to me before that since there's a part 121, there must be a part 121.5, but that number made me laugh.
I'm disappointed that 121.5xx isn't full of emergency procedures for 121 operators. missed opportunity, that.
thphnts@reddit
Thank you for that. For some reason I couldn’t remember if it was legally required or not. I appreciate your clarification!
TyrannoNerdusRex@reddit
Anyone who thinks they want to read the exact text won’t as soon as they do.
pjlaniboys@reddit
I will never point out a landmark that only the passengers on one side in the window seats can see. That’s pretty stupid and annoying to do for the larger majority of those onboard. I will call around to the different galleys so my cabin crew don’t miss it.
Ben2018@reddit
Easy solution, barrel roll for fairness. /s
KCPilot17@reddit
Every time we talk, it wakes people up or pauses their movies.
The vast majority of people prefer silence than knowing something random is out therez
RobotMaster1@reddit
And as free wifi becomes more ubiquitous, i can just follow along on google maps. Found the Pope’s telescope in Arizona that way.
ethersings@reddit
Apple and Google Maps both allow you to pre-download maps for when there’s no internet.
RobotMaster1@reddit
whenever i’ve tried that, it’s never able to zero in on my location. i’m obviously doing something wrong somewhere.
Roger_Freedman_Phys@reddit
The number of passengers who keep the window shades down is sad indeed.
JPAV8R@reddit
For me it depends. If it’s the 0600 flight out that means I was going through TSA at 0510. Had to wake up around 0330…. When the rising sun is perfectly aligned with your open window and the sun is beaming directly into my face like the eye of Sauron I wish you’d just close the freaking window.
re7swerb@reddit
Sleep masks exist.
JPAV8R@reddit
So does courtesy.
mkosmo@reddit
Many of us travel for work and take the chance to catch up on work, sleep, or anything else. Even the aviation enthusiasts don't get hyper-excited about the view.
Uncabuddha@reddit
After 38 years in the biz, I'm still super excited about the view. I think folks are just dumbing down and want to look at Tik Tok horseshit instead of El Cap or the Grand Canyon.
delinquentfatcat@reddit
This sounds true of where you go, but averaged across all flights the view is amazing (and visible) maybe 1% of the time while at altitude. Whereas catching up on work or watching a movie is just far more accessible now due to better entertainment systems and onboard Wifi.
Uncabuddha@reddit
Yeah, I hear you. Kansas or the Pacific can get pretty boring. Okay. But between Denver and San Fran, LOOK OUT THE WINDOW!!!
delinquentfatcat@reddit
Yessir. I'm on the East Coast and mostly redeye across the pond. Usually a good time to sleep, except one time we saw the aurora borealis (thanks to the crew for pointing it out!) The West Coast is a different world, to be sure.
jawshoeaw@reddit
I'm almost 60 and still gawk out the window every flight. Also fly small planes for fun...i guess for some it never gets old
mkosmo@reddit
I’m a pilot too, and I own an airplane. A view out of an airliner isn’t the same thing.
jawshoeaw@reddit
Ok not from the flight levels fair point but my face is glued to window on ascent and descent.
Roger_Freedman_Phys@reddit
I certainly do get hyper-excited, and have been ever since my first airline ride in 1960!
Known-Associate8369@reddit
Im a massive aviation fan, have been since I was a kid.
I also fly Auckland to London 3 or 4 times a year, via Dubai.
I havent looked out the window during that trip for anything other than take off or landing since ... the second trip, 5 years ago.
If I want a view, I put the camera view on the screen.
SelectAirline7459@reddit
I do.
JimmyBirdWatcher@reddit
I don't judge people who do the whole journey with their blinds down, but what I do hate is when people demand I put my blind down. I feel really claustrophobic if I can't see out, there is a reason I always book a window. Plus I still love the view. Did a 50 minute hop 2 months ago and literally spent the whole flight enjoying the sunset.
MuppetCapers@reddit
I keep it down bc I’m scared to death and have to be tranq’d like B.A. Barakas (from the A-Team).
GoDeacs7@reddit
Except that something like the Grand Canyon isn’t “something random out there.” It’s something awe inspiring, even more so from 35,000 feet. Out of the ~115B humans who have ever lived, think about how few have seen something like that from a flying metal tube seven miles up in the sky. I have no problem whatsoever with a pilot interrupting me looking at my phone to point something like that out.
re7swerb@reddit
This is what I think about as I idly stare out the window - for all the countless ages of humanity, literally no one had experienced a bird’s eye view until the Montgolfier brothers’ balloon less than 250 years ago. For another 200 years only a very small handful of people experienced it. And here I am, surrounded by people who can’t even be bothered to take a glance.
bc_57@reddit
Also the inclusion of moving maps on the screen in front of you keeps you updated on your location, we don’t need to to tell you anymore. Also map apps on all your devices…
Pr6srn@reddit
... that are in 'airline mode', with no GPS data, right?
blastmanager@reddit
Map apps work in airplane mode with WiFi.
ethersings@reddit
Map apps work inflight with no internet connection if you pre-download maps. Google and Apple both have the capability.
blastmanager@reddit
But can you track your position without internet connection and the phone in airplane mode?
ethersings@reddit
I have to hold the phone near the plane window for several minutes before the location locks in. I’ve done this on perhaps 40 flights in the past 15 years.
ethersings@reddit
Yes. GPS is a receive-only radio signal so there’s no interference with the plane. In fact, the plane nav is using the same satellite signal.
UnisexWaffleBooties@reddit
Many airlines have internet connections.
need2sleep-later@reddit
that you (typically) have to pay extra to use.
DudeWheresMyKitty@reddit
Cellphone (and most consumer) GPS is wholly passive, as far as I know.
They don't generate interference, as they're simply listening to the frequencies already being broadcast by the GPS satellites.
dinnerisbreakfast@reddit
You can still receive GPS signals in airplane mode.
alexw0122@reddit (OP)
I think this highlights the shift in culture (macro view). Flying used to be such an occasion and now it’s so commonplace. Not inherently bad! Just an interesting change.
Thanks for commenting!
ryguymcsly@reddit
Yeah and it’s unfortunate. Communal experiences are gradually getting erased.
Still I am that person who grabs the window seat and leaves my shade up most of the flight because I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss the man made miracle of watching the world pass by from 7 miles in the sky.
MidsummerMidnight@reddit
I think it is bad. I was told to keep my blind down whilst we flew over Greenland. I respectfully told the flight attendant no lol
peepay@reddit
Oh I wish...
SelectAirline7459@reddit
Look at the kind of people flying. It’s way more common and cheaper.
sadelpenor@reddit
last flight i took into iah the captain announced a spacex launch. but we were at the descent of our flight so it didnt really disturb anyone. cabin lights had been turned on. but yeah, i havent experienced something like that announcement from the flight deck in a long time
MidsummerMidnight@reddit
Those people are idiots then
deathlord444@reddit
I’m one of those passengers that will never be jaded with flying. It’s an incredible privilege to partake in. Sure, it can be monotonous and unpleasant sometimes but then you’ll fly by a thunderstorm at night and the world becomes terrifying and beautiful again. I always love when a pilot comes on and talks. Being a pilot is one of the few noble careers out there.
KoTDS_Apex@reddit
Ngl as a passenger I'm livid when my movie is interrupted for promoting a credit card, or when the flight attendants make the exact same announcement that the pilot made literally 2 seconds ago and vice versa.
gymfunkera@reddit
Yes, I get this. But why not have an alternative button to talk to those who want to hear “non-essential” banter from the cockpit.
KCPilot17@reddit
Way too much work. I'm not a tour guide. I'm there to get you safely from A to B.
gymfunkera@reddit
Hey buddy, the Customer is always right :-)
Winston_Carbuncle@reddit
I'll take the pilot's advice when it comes to flying planes. If I need someone to show me how to be obnoxious, I'll give you a shout
gymfunkera@reddit
lol. I’m just making jokes. Everybody relax. I appreciate all the pilots and safety comes first. (but if given the choice between two airlines, with similar safety records and price, and one offers fun in-flight, tourism features, I’m taking the fun bus!)
Peace!
gluino@reddit
They should create an opt in way for pax to hear these and the radio comms. Maybe a particular channel or option on the map channel.
chess_1010@reddit
Flying with an infant profoundly changed my expectations around in-flight announcements.
We had a few flights where he was out cold after takeoff, only to get woken up by a pre-recorded announcement about the airline miles program.
International flight that left at 11pm, but decided to serve dinner (‽) about an hour after takeoff. He was asleep before that, but it took a good hour to go down after.
I'm happy if someone in a window seat gets to see a cool landmark from above. Meanwhile we're in the middle of the plane just trying to survive the flight. The fewer announcements the better.
swoodshadow@reddit
The learned wisdom of a Dad on a road trip. :)
Except as a Dad I override my kids preferences and make them look. Hard to do that as a pilot providing a service.
JuanMurphy@reddit
So right. My worst experience was a mechanical delay that led to not getting TO clearance from destination airport for wx. So I thought f it. I’ll miss my connection and be delayed 24 hours. All I wanted to do was just watch a movie. Every 5 minutes was an update first telling us what’s broken, then maintenance, then announcement about the weather. Every time the pilot said something the FA got on to say the same thing.
Pure-Kaleidoscope207@reddit
I think I'm weird as I've flown a lot in my life but still have my face glued to the window getting excited that I can see all these landmarks and cities where people are just living their lives!
tarheelz1995@reddit
The only interruptions are those necessary to pimp loyalty credit cards.
William_Shaftner@reddit
Maybe you can start offering credit cards with bonus miles to fill the silence? (Kidding)
MikeDeY77@reddit
Yeah I’d be pretty annoyed if I was stuck in the middle seat on the right side and the pilot kept pausing my movie to talk about Mount Fuji on the left side or whatever.
tailwheel307@reddit
PA’s don’t wake me up anymore, they interrupt some movies if they’re not on my EFB. I expect that if I hear a PA from the flight deck it’s due to an abnormality requiring a PA from the flight crew.
For myself, I’d rather not have additional duties as your guide while operating. That will inevitably lead to standardized location call outs that we then have to track and flight ops, inflight services, and even marketing can start piling more memos and tasks onto me. I’ll just keep my sightseeing to myself and my coworker while the pax follow along on the IFE.
fuzzypickles0_0s@reddit
Just last month I was flying MSP to BOI and the pilot shortly after takeoff said to look out the right side of the plane if we wanted to see the Northern Lights dancing in the sky. It was really cool to see and greatly appreciated. Delta airlines fwiw.
Ok-Active1581@reddit
One time flying PDX to PSP our pilot had those of us who were on the right side of the plant look out to see a B1 bomber refueling from a KC135 a thousand feet below us. An amazing sight!
DCS_Sport@reddit
Once in a while, I’ll do it when we’re going over the Grand Canyon
FixergirlAK@reddit
A couple of years ago SEA to BOI we got routed right past Mount Saint Helens on a beautiful clear day and the pilot woke everyone up so we wouldn't miss it.
rygelicus@reddit
I saw something similar, not sure if it was mt st helens or ranier though. The captain was on his final flight before retiring and got permission to make a full circle around the mountain very close and at low level, below the peak. We made our lap around the mountain and then climbed to altitude.
FixergirlAK@reddit
If you were below the peak it was Rainier. MSH is only 8,300 ft at the high side of the crater rim.
Ok-Active1581@reddit
They could have been in an ATR
bk553@reddit
Maybe the pilot was ambitious
DylansDeadlyTwo@reddit
Pilot made sure everyone got to see it as we flew by. Looked awesome.
Dave_A480@reddit
The official weather-landmark of western WA....
If you can see it, weather is good...
If not, it's probably Rainy-er....
MajorLazy@reddit
Rainier
rounding_error@reddit
No, it was sunny.
Radiant-Painting581@reddit
r/angryupvote
poopyjoetaken@reddit
Did the pilot wake up everyone by shaking them all at once? /s
slowpoke2018@reddit
Similar, SJC to PDX clear day and the pilot said we're coming up on Crater Lake then proceeded to bank the plane back and forth to try and give everyone a view.
Was a cool vista as you could see the pacific ocean, Crater Lake and the Sisters, then coming into PDX amazing view of Mt Hood, St Helens and even Mt Rainier
One of the more visually exciting flights I've had
Dino_Spaceman@reddit
Yup same. I was flying to Seattle and our pilot did the same thing.
charmparticle@reddit
I got to take a GA flight HIO->RNT with my pilot friend on a beautiful day and we flew a circle around Mt St Helens!
Immediate-Repeat-201@reddit
Crater lake in summer definitely brings out the tour guide in pilots.
Sltre101@reddit
Do you do it to distract the passengers from the flight attendants dragging an unconscious crew member to the back of the aircraft?
DCS_Sport@reddit
Only when I have the lasagna
Tenzipper@reddit
No, the fish!
*twitches, drools, and farts uncontrollably*
nobot4321@reddit
Last time I flew we had an amazing view of Niagara Falls. I was surprised the pilot didn't mention it. Wonder if anyone else noticed.
RunYoAZ@reddit
I did!
(Probably wasn't your flight).
Boeing367-80@reddit
December 1975 on takeoff from Papeete in Tahiti the Pan Am pilot of our 707 said that we were scheduled to get into New Zealand early, so he would take us on a tour of the islands to the west, which I think are Moorea and Bora Bora.
So, yeah, lowish level air tour with a Pan Am 707 among the islands. We didn't circle, we just did a low level flyby, with some maneuvering.
Then December 1984 British Airways 747 from Brisbane to Auckland (last leg of a flight LHR-BOM-PER-BNE-AKL) decides he'll fly us down one of the beach areas to the south of Brisbane. Surfers Paradise maybe? Anyway again a lowish level flyby in a 747-200.
Can't imagine anything like that today.
kitethrulife@reddit
I looked down at exactly the right time and saw the Grand Canyon and horseshoe bend! No announcement
Areonaux@reddit
Pilot did it to me on a flight a while back and I really appreciated it
MuppetCapers@reddit
Ahhh, I hope you do it more. I’m 48 and grew up flying alone, starting around 5. Hearing the captain tell us something GOOD was exciting and would set me at ease. It’s so weird, the OP is right…it stopped like 20 years ago. In today’s world, heading more from the captain would be so lovely and give a sense of connection.
Fold67@reddit
I always love the “scenic” routing when Mt Rainier is out and the pilot announces it’s visible.
CouchPotatoFamine@reddit
Love it. Last time I flew over Yosemite the Captain pointed out El Capitan!
kruzzik@reddit
I do it all the time and get very positive feedback from the pax.
unhingedfried@reddit
Not the same thing, but yesterday on a domestic flight in India, the Captain was regularly updating the passengers on the score of the Womens Cricket World Cup Final between India and South Africa.
aviapaul@reddit
Had this 2 years ago on a flight from Guadalajara to Oaxaca which passes right by Popocatepetl. Pilot gave us a 20 min lecture inflight about the volcanos of Mexico. Didn’t expect this to happen flying Volaris
Any_Branch_6993@reddit
I had a pilot recently tell us to look at the Grand Canyon when we flew over it and I got so excited. I was napping with my window shade down but I’m glad he told us to look because it was pretty cool.
Variabell556@reddit
Lol was it /u/DCS_Sport?
rockbandit@reddit
A number of years ago I was flying from OAK to MCO. Our flight path took us over Valley of the Gods in Utah. There is an area where the San Juan river cuts deep through the bedrock and makes some neat little canyons.
An older British couple behind me are looking out the window and ask a passing flight attendant if that’s the Grand Canyon below us and to our left. She looks through their window and says yes.
I’m a former geologist, so this caught my attention, especially since I didn’t think our flight path brought us that far south. So, I look out the window and see that it’s actually the Valley of the Gods.
I turn around to say something, right as the husband says, “Oh, that is so great! I’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon!”
I just smiled and turned back around without saying anything.
tEAm4za@reddit
Pilot from NZ to Aus told us about the Aurora earlier this year, super awesome and appreciated
IcarusTyler@reddit
I had one flying over the Oktoberfest at night 2 years ago! I figure this is a very time-constrained landmark to spot, so it isn't announced that often.
smokie12@reddit
I flew to Vancouver this summer, and one of the pilots made an announcement like "If you're seated on the left side of the aircraft, you can now see the beautiful landscape of the greater vancouver area. If you're seated on the right side, you can also see that beatiful landscape. If you're seated in the middle section... thank you for flying Air Canada today."
Got a good chuckle out of everyone after a 10 hour intercontinental flight.
InnerBreath2884@reddit
Hello folks and welcome aboard this Air New Zealand flight to Auckland, operated by Star Alliance. Please ensure any luggage is stowed in the overhead lockers or underneath the seat in front.
If you're lucky, I'll fly us over Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
Thank you for flying Air New Zealand! - saying this is the main reason I want to fly for this airline.
Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit
90% or better of the passengers are watching something on their phone, iPad, tablet, computer.
tvlkidd@reddit
Every time an announcement is made the entertainment system pauses… at my airline we make required PAs only
nycemt83@reddit
They must’ve heard George Carlin’s bit about flying on the airlines.
“‘Captain?’ He’s a fucking pilot and let him be happy with that…if those sightseeing announcements are any mark of his intellect, he’s lucky to be working at all!”
SpectreGuy101@reddit
I’ve got a captain who seems to do it on every trip we fly together, his announcements are always amazing
UCFknight2016@reddit
I flew on Air France this summer and the pilot announced we were flying over Mont Blanc on one flight and a different pilot announced we were flying over the Kennedy Space Center on another.
cport1@reddit
There's literally an app map that does it in a lot of flights. Shows various attractions and how many km they are away in whatever direction.
pbrowntv@reddit
Back 2009(!) I flew from SEA-PDX on a Horizon Q400 on July 4th. Only a few people on the plane. I asked the pilot which side he would put Mt. St. Helens on because I wanted to get some photos. He was excited I asked, and ended up taking us on a full loop around the mountain so both sides could see it! I was able to Great memory among dozens of trips on that route.
pbrowntv@reddit
The FlightAware from that day!
lotuskid731@reddit
How cool!!
andrewrbat@reddit
In the airlines when you are low enough to see good scenery up close you are low enough to be in “sterile flight deck” which means the pilots cant do things that are unessential to the flight. So we cant really do that.
MeatServo1@reddit
Heard it a week or two ago with various sights along the west coast.
Mobe-E-Duck@reddit
I do it. And I give the old “and if the passengers on the right side look to their left they’ll see the passengers on the left side of the aircraft.”
FreshAirEscape@reddit
BA flight into Oslo last week, the captain pointed out that the Northern Lights were visible - fantastic
iamGIS@reddit
I've had it a few times. Flying from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles (LATAM) they mentioned twice, crossing the Andes and entering the Amazon Rainforest. Also, from LAX to Osaka (Japan Airlines) recently they mentioned Mt. Fuji. I've only had this happen once in the US, a United flight from IAD to LAX they mentioned we were flying over Las Vegas.
Tl;DR: Happens a few times international airlines/routes but only once on a US airline/route and I've flown 200+ times in 5 years.
DoctorPepster@reddit
When I flew JFK - Haneda I think the pilots pointed out Mt. Denali as we passed by. That was a beautiful view.
No-Helicopter7299@reddit
It was popular for pilots back in the day (70’s and before) because there was no entertainment on board, I suppose.
BearFan34@reddit
And people didn’t fly as frequently as they do now
No-Helicopter7299@reddit
It was an adventure, not a bus ride. :)
Sltre101@reddit
The last few flights I’ve been on they’ve never even really told us the route nevermind pointing stuff out - which is always a bit disappointing. Did have a flight a few years ago where the pilot gave us a whole spiel about the route, aircraft, weights, speeds etc. was awesome, could really tell that was a pilot who loved his job.
EVRider81@reddit
Flew Aer Lingus from IAD to DUB last month..the Pilot was giving a bit of sightseeing info on the way in..
External-Creme-6226@reddit
I save it for the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and Times Square…otherwise folks don’t care
escapingdarwin@reddit
The culture of window shades down and people sleeping discourages pilots from making unnecessary announcements.
tambrico@reddit
I literally can never understand what they're saying on the announcement so it's not relevant to me. But I enjoy identifying the landmarks on my own.
JT-Av8or@reddit
It’s because we have in flight entertainment at my company in my fleet. Nobody wants their movies interrupted.
2015Eh8@reddit
If love to know how many people actually love those PAs vs the ‘shut up you’re interrupting my movie’ folk. I get the concern of not doing it when people are sleeping but sometimes I get to feeling like more people just want a silent flight. Love to be wrong on that one.
UpHillFury@reddit
I live in Seattle and do a fair bit of travel for work, if it's a clear day and we are routed past Mt Rainier they call it out, probably at least once a month, more in the summer when the weather is better
snyderjet@reddit
Most pilots are laying back letting the aircraft fly itself.
pilot_96@reddit
Depends. I fly for a holiday charter airline, so most of the time we do keep passengers up to date about where we fly etc, weather and conditions permitting. There are some captains that give 20-minute long speeches with the most ridiculous en-route details, which the passengers adore most of the time. If you fly with a legacy carrier, I assume it will be a bit more quiet most of the time
gymfunkera@reddit
We love it when the pilot points out landmarks—and I’m shocked there’s not an APP/program/feature running on the airlines screens to give you a freaking live tour of the little things you’re looking at down there. There are a thousand interesting things down there to pint out. There’s a captive and bored audience. Tell us what’s going on out there window!!!!!!
wesweslaco@reddit
I actually have seen this on the in-flight seat back system, including on my United flights between EWR and PHX in the past week. It had map options to identify features from an overhead view and the left or right sides of the plane.
Buttspirgh@reddit
Most flights arriving to PDX from the east will get a “Mt Hood out the left windows” as part of the seat-and-tray-tables spiel.
poser765@reddit
Flying is a transient commodity. Back in the golden age of flight it was a lot more rare to fly anywhere, so the flight itself was a lot more exciting. People cared because it was novel.
Now people fly because they have to. Almost nobody books a flight because it’s a cool flight… it’s a means to Disney, or Vegas, or grandma. That’s it. They just want to get fondled, sit down, and get it over with. Most people really don’t care if we are flying over the Mississippi River.
peepay@reddit
Man, for me, the flight is at least as much exciting as the destination, if not more.
poser765@reddit
Sure. As a person that views and has an opinion on things in r/aviation I’d certainly expect that to be the case. But, posters here are NOT representative of the normal flying public.
JunkbaII@reddit
I very rarely say anything just because passengers are bombarded with PAs and just noise and general from the moment they set foot in an airport. We have enough required PAs onboard as is
Express-Doughnut-562@reddit
I was on a lowly easyJet flight to Manchester a few years ago the captain pointed out the northern lights. He asked the cabin crew to dim the lights and performed a quick 360 so passengers on the other side of an aircraft got a view!
brongchong@reddit
The traveling public are zombies. They are glued to their Cellphones or the TV in the seat-back.
They can’t disconnect from the internet. It’s like a drug. They put their Dr. Dre beats on and tune you out. Unless they have the beats on…then they don’t even hear you.
They Have their window shades down do they can see their multiple screens better. Seatback TV, phone, and iPad or PC all at the same time.
Any PA interrupts their movie.
letterboxfrog@reddit
We get that on Link Airways if we have to loop over Sydney CBD/Harbour before landing. From a SAAB Turboprop Sydney is amazing to fly in to
docmphd@reddit
On my United flight over Oregon, USA just the other day, the pilot pointed out Crater Lake on the right, and then a bit later, the beautiful sunset on the left.
Taledo@reddit
I've had in August a BRU to TLS flight at night, and the pilot did mention that we could see the Eiffel tower if we looked on the right side. It does happen, but it's rare I guess?
liaisontosuccess@reddit
because it only leads to those people on the other side of the plane feeling left out.
maporita@reddit
Our (Lufthansa) pilot announced that we were passing Everest and fortunately I was in a window seat. The peak was rising out of the clouds and looked awesome, but unfortunately I didn't have my phone with me so I couldn't take a photo.
HerfDog58@reddit
They don't want all the entitled people who are trying to steal window seats to have a reason to rush to the nearest window shade and exclaim "They won't let me see the landmarks from the seat they paid for! I want to talk to the captain." And then having them assault other passengers.
"We've got all the Karens quieted down with the sedative in the peanuts, let's keep 'em like that..."
kyrialdreis@reddit
Delta LAX-SEA this September. Pilot made a point of noting Yosemite Valley on our right side. Don’t hear it often but i appreciate it.
BrokeAssZillionaire@reddit
I had it recently but don’t actually recall where it was, he even banked the plane for us slightly
Middleage_dad@reddit
I wanna say this was back in the 90s, but I was flying into NYC and we took a route that flew us along Manhattan. The flight attendant said she didn’t know what she was looking at, and she handed the microphone to a passenger who pointed out all the major landmarks.
kj_gamer2614@reddit
Depends on the airline. Some don’t announce it any more since 9/11 as a safety sort of feature though the ones that did that have seemed to allow it again, some carriers don’t like disturbing passengers, but some carriers still do it, my recent Lufthansa flight was over the alps on both directions, and they pointed us in the direction of Mont Blanc, and a different flight to the Matterhorn, and on another flight (don’t remember who with) they pointed out some major cities when we flew over them.
Awkward_Dog@reddit
I was on a RYANAIR flight of all things last year from Brussels to Rome and the pilot told us when we were above Lake Geneva and told us when we would see the Alps.
Zealousideal-Lie7255@reddit
I haven’t heard a reference to any landmark or city in at least 25 years. It may have something to do with changes made after 9/11?
AHappySnowman@reddit
Reading the conversations here makes me think the infotainment system should call out landmarks so people who want to see them can, without disrupting the entire cabin to make such announcements.
Decent-Plum-26@reddit
Flew over the Somme on the 100th anniversary of the WWI armistice and the UA captain pointed it out. Very moving.
flightwatcher45@reddit
Maybe the IFE could have a channel that lists what you're flying over, but airlines are starting to remove IFE so there's that too.
peepay@reddit
Which ones?
flightwatcher45@reddit
Seem like all my flights in the US lately, people bring their own and it saves a lot of money for airlines on their seats and equipement, weight and maintenance. I also see it at work with customers future orders.
peepay@reddit
Ah, so domestic flights in the US.
Haven't been on those in a while. (When I visit the US, it's usually just the flight I come in on.)
DoItForLA@reddit
Not to hijack your comment... On the topic of IFE, I have a question for people who aren't poor like me. I regularly fly Frontier and occasionally Spirit to visit my girlfriend, so IFE doesn't exist there. Back when I was younger (2003-2007ish), I remember there being a channel with the live ATC feed. This was like, when you'd plug headphones into the armrest and press a physical button to change between ten music channels. Does that still exist? The handful of times I've flown on Delta, I didn't really look.
don_teegee@reddit
Oddly enough I was on a flight from MUC to EWR yesterday and the purser was pointing out the sites when we were on approach. First time I’ve heard them do that in years.
PetesBrotherPaul@reddit
Everyone’s surfing the WiFi. I flew with captains who didn’t look up from their newspaper and I flew with a captain who felt he was charged by God to narrate the view out the windows.
sftwareguy@reddit
I think it depends on what is said. I've had my license almost 50 years and have flown a whole lot of places, worked at GE Evendale in jet engine development early on, fly gliders and all in all am pretty immersed in aviation more as a sideline after starting a couple of IT companies that took most of my time.
But a top 5 experience for some reason was flying into RDU on a dead calm, severe clear night and the Captain came on with "Hello from the room with the view.." Went on to talk about how fast we are going but it seemed like we were standing still, how much fuel the engines took on take off and landing, how fast we land and a bunch if other miscellaneous things. I think it was the way he said it that really made an impression (waxing poetic). I knew what he was saying but really enjoyed the talk.
Pure-Kaleidoscope207@reddit
I had it on a UK > Spain recently where the pilot announced to look for Paris and then later Barcelona.
I imagine it's because it was a package charter rather than a scheduled.
Abject-Badger-2394@reddit
No one needs to hear me talk than the bare minimum.
chickenCabbage@reddit
Please do talk!
throughalfanoir@reddit
A BA pilot did this for northern lights over Stockholm, it was really cool
notoriousgtt@reddit
Flying to Tenerife earlier this year the captain pointed out the Starlink (I think) satellites after sunset. It was awesome.
Schtweetz@reddit
I do miss the announcements. But I keep myself amused by getting window seats and playing amateur navigator. Flying from YEG to PVR, I really enjoy the clear US southwest, and was thrilled to be able to spot and photograph Ship Rock from over 30,000 ft above.
vctrmldrw@reddit
Sterile cockpit rules.
stlthy1@reddit
Because ass hats shut the shades.
Uncabuddha@reddit
THIS!!!
The most miraculous thing you have ever experienced, flying, is taking place and you're watching Kim Kardashian's BUTT...
forgottensudo@reddit
From what I understand, there’s a lot of structural engineering that has gone into that view :)
stlthy1@reddit
Norm Macdonald on her
SARS-covfefe@reddit
I wonder if being a frequent flyer does that to people. I'm an infrequent flyer and always curious what's happening outside the tube. Closing the shades from boarding to deboarding is crazy to me... how do people land in Tokyo or Hong Kong at sunset with the shades shut and glued to their phone or movie screen? But it seems to be a common trait of people who occupy window seats.
aw_shux@reddit
The last flight I was on, the flight attendants asked everyone to close their shades so that people could see their device screens better. Kinda sad, IMHO.
illimitable1@reddit
I am not a pilot. But I would think that pilots would not be keen on being entertainers. That's what they hire the flight attendants for. Flying a plane is enough.
dedgecko@reddit
You’re the captain of the plane, call out whatever you want except that we’ll be late for dinner.
RogLatimer118@reddit
Nowadays people want the shades down to watch TV.
yeahgoestheusername@reddit
I find this very sad.
MoistDealer2225@reddit
I had a flight recently where the center controller was telling airlines about my flight of two A-10s passing them. It wasn’t a traffic call out as much as a “hey there will be some cool jets passing by you if look out to your left.” We were well deconflicted. The pilots were actually pretty interested and asking for callouts to try and see us to take a photo. No idea if he was calling it out to the cabin or if they were just breaking up the monotony for themselves.
Uncabuddha@reddit
BRRRT!
onyxr@reddit
Ya it has been a while. I fly Los Angeles to Denver regularly and there are some great sights to see, but it’s been a long time since they’ve said anything.
One of my most memorable recent was flying to Bend, OR and pointing out Crater Lake, absolutely amazing.
DoItForLA@reddit
I've only heard it once, Frontier flight from LAX to LAS a few weeks ago. Short flight and, I'm guessing, most people on the plane have been to Vegas before. As we were descending, the captain said something like, "If you look out to our left side, you'll see the entire Vegas Strip. We'll be on the ground in just a few short minutes."
Considering that most Frontier passengers don't even put their phones on airplane mode (cacophony of text notification tones at a certain altitude), I'm sure most people didn't hear it. Totally wasted on them, but I noticed, if it counts for anything.
Cirrus-Stratus@reddit
WN pilots do it maybe one for every twenty times I’ve flown into SEA.
Definitely not the norm.
blastmanager@reddit
8 days ago I flew back from Las Palmas and the co-pilot went on the PA three times to talk about stuff around us.
Granted, the first one was "we are currently above the Bay of Biscaya, and it's dark out, so unless you really twist your head to look at the stars, there's really not much to see around here".
slugworth1@reddit
Bear in mind you’re going to get the mostly introverted Reddit opinion by asking this question on this website. Plenty of people like those little extras being pointed out, it’s not necessarily a routine experience for everyone.
soraksan123@reddit
The few times they've done it on one of my flights i've always been on the wrong side of the plane...
SkySchemer@reddit
It's not that people don't care anymore. It's that in-flight services have gotten better with mobile devices and free offerings.
It used to be you had to pay for entertainment, to watch a movie on an overhead TV screen that you maybe couldn't see well, with headphones that required a special jack, etc. Your free options were looking out the window or reading a book. Nowadays, you can watch what you want from a huge selection of content, or just listen to music using your own noise-canceling headphones.
The pilots don't need to call out landmarks because half the plane isn't bored to tears.
pistonslapper@reddit
Last time I flew into SEA we had a pretty early descent and the pilot pointed out the peak of Rainer above us!
jucusinthesky@reddit
Just a few days ago our captain said “for those lucky ones on the right side of our aircraft, please enjoy the view of the pyramids”
Today we were spotting the Eiffel tower :)
We still do :)
speedracer73@reddit
And out the left side of the aircraft you can see the welcoming sands of Namibia
RT60@reddit
Last time I flew to Chicago the UA captain came on during the approach to tell us which side of the plane would have the view of the city as we were coming over the lake. Not that anyone could move to see it or anything but I guess some people put their shades up as a result.
Raccoon_Ratatouille@reddit
Because A- it bothers 100% of passengers trying to sleep, watch a movie or listen to music and B- Anyone who cares enough to sightsee over the Grand Canyon or whatever landmark can see the flight path on the IFE or flightaware and decide if they want to look out for it.
Designer_Buy_1650@reddit
Water flowing backwards at Niagara Falls is PA worthy, otherwise…
Matuteg@reddit
When going to YYZ I always say you can see Niagara Falls right below is in 1-2 minutes. The pax show me pictures they took when they get off! Is fun
alexw0122@reddit (OP)
That does sound incredible, almost unbelievable. lol
Thank you
SillyDeersFloppyEars@reddit
It doesn't happen much these days, though last time I flew with KLM from Amsterdam to Japan, the flight attendants did make us aware that Mt Fuji was passing by outside. This was just before covid hit.
flyingforfun3@reddit
My first flight the pilot told us to look out at the Mississippi river and that would be basically fly along it. Frontier airlines, I was 15. I caught the bug. I took a discovery flight at 18 and it was over. I have been a pilot for 15 years now.
I don’t work for an airline but sometimes I’ll point it out to passengers. When I worked at a small airline (they were EAS) I would do PA announces about those things.
FlyingDog14@reddit
I’ve done it a few times over the years prefacing the DCA river visual 19 but that’s about it and haven’t in a very long time. But so many people do not care about a thing outside of their phone or the back of their eyelids it’s just a waste of air, and more people (myself included) would prefer peace and quiet in the plane unless there’s something important to say.