Safety lectures on airplanes

Place: southwest airlines flight, seattle

Design problem: Can you imagine getting on your fifth flight of the year and not hearing the same safety lecture for the fifth time? Wouldn't it be nice to just read your book in relative silence before takeoff? Does anyone actually listen to those announcements? I don't think I have ever listened to one, and I travel a fair bit. Furthermore I doubt anyone remembers significant parts of a boring repetitive safety lecture after they've just survived a crash landing. The current system is a significant reduction in the (already greatly diminished) quality of the air travel experience.

Possible solutions: The airline passenger is part of a captive audience who has to stay in a seat for long periods. Their ability to use devices (e.g. Ipods, dvds, games, phones) is highly controlled by airline staff, with little distraction possible at certain times. With so much time being spent bored, sitting looking at the back of the seat in front, why is this space not being used to convey safety information?

Remove the audio safety sermon and put in a simple graphical overview of safety instructions on the back of the seats. Even I would know the safety procedures if I had nothing else to read. Alternatively, have an automated system which verbally announces simple procedures in the event of a crash - just in time information. Plane travel doesn't have to feel like being in boot camp.