Qantas Crew Peeved by 'Capt. Travolta' Video

John Travolta's latest leading role isn't going over too well with Qantas airline's crew. The actor, clad in a pilot's uniform, opens the airline's three-minute safety video, announcing, "This is your captain speaking—well, maybe not today." (Click here to watch the video.) He continues, "But I can guarantee that the guys on the flight deck and the greater team care just as much about aircraft safety as I do. I've been flying over 40 years as a pilot and I can tell you, there's no one I'd rather have at the controls than a Qantas pilot." Among the crew's complaints, as reported by Australia's Daily Telegraph:

• Referring to flight attendants as "the team:" Says one, "We feel it's demeaning. It makes us feel like we work at McDonald's."
• Considering the recent safety issues, the tone is too light: "The whole thing seems to make the safety message seem trite."
• Travolta wasn't the right choice: Some staff felt Captain Richard de Crespigny, who was at the helm of the failed flight from Singapore, would have been the better pick. "Who better than the genuine aviation professionals who saved QF32?"
• It's just plain lame: Or "corny," "tacky," and "cringeworthy."
• A Qantas rep called the video "engaging" and said all feedback had been positive.

(More Qantas stories.)