I saw this video on Facebook a bit ago, and I’m sure my mom wishes she could have shown me this before we first flew, because when we did, I was constantly going “What’s that sound? That one? That one? Does that one mean the same as that one? Or that? What about that?” My poor mom was good about it, but I’m sure she wanted to tell me to quiet down. She never did. To the best of her ability, she told me about everything I asked her about, and that probably helped me. I wouldn’t say I’m a nervous flyer, but I do pay attention to every noise and sensation in case there are clues in there. After all, I did have my one rather unusual flight experience, so I do have some reason to be listening. Plus, some sounds indicate that signs have come on, so since I can’t see the signs, I like to pay attention to the noises.
Anyway, somebody put together a video of the sounds you’ll hear on an airplane aimed at the anxious flyer. It’s a bit ridiculously simplistic, but it’s neat to have the sounds explained one by one. So enjoy.
I find a lot of the dings sound so similar that I can’t tell the snack cart ding from the intercom ding from the seatbelt sign ding from the hey dude, we’re starting to descend ding, but maybe there’s a way to tell if you’re really good.
But hopefully this video will help the nervous flyers, and the blind ones who haven’t flown before too.
It’s been about 25 years since I’ve been on a plane, but I swear there weren’t nearly as many dings back when I used to fly more. There were dings, but I remember more announcements when things needed to be communicated, especially stuff like the food cart. Am I nuts?
I still find most times that they do announce the food cart and some of the seatbelt sign prompts too. I think the dings must be on top, or maybe if you take the red-eye, they announce less. I know I missed the drink cart because they tried to slip by quietly.
And maybe part of the reason I recall more announcements back then is because you actually got a meal on your flights fairly often in those days.