A week after Air New Zealand launched its latest inflight safety video – which swiftly went viral, clocking up 16 million views on YouTube – British Airways has released its celebrity-packed equivalent.
The airline brand's vid helps fundraise for Flying Start, the global charity partnership between the airline and Comic Relief.
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The video – produced in conjunction with the charity – features the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gordon Ramsay and Gillian Anderson running through the safety demo. Thandie Newton is on hand to explain where the emergency exits are, Rob Brydon demonstrates the use of a lifejacket, and Sir Ian McKellen and Warwick Davis show how to use an oxygen mask.
Jim Broadbent, meanwhile, demonstrates how to put his tray table up and down and Rowan Atkinson finishes off the film with some Mr Bean-style capers with the Flying Start donations envelope.
A longer version of the film will be shown on flights from 1 September, replacing the current animated film, which has run for the past 12 years. This is the first video for BA to use celebrities, though other airlines – notably Air New Zealand – have done so before to great success.
Air New Zealand’s 13th video – which stars Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr – has already been viewed 16 million times. The British Airways film, meanwhile, has managed a respectable 236,000 in a day.