New safety video by Hawaiian Airlines ditches gags for beauty

There’s a drop in your pulse rate the moment the new safety video for Hawaiian Airlines begins. Your feeling of tranquility is not caused by a change in cabin pressure, but by the flourish of an island guitar and the sweep of a camera over gentle waves washing into a rocky cove.

The video is a welcome respite from the spate of shtick-y, gag-heavy safety videos from Delta, Air New Zealand and Virgin America. In addition to safety instruction, relaxation is clearly a goal of Hawaiian Airlines' new safety video, which shows gorgeous scenes from all over Hawaii, including Haleakalā National Park, Po'olenalena Beach, Waimea Canyon, Saddle Road Lava Fields and Umauma Falls.

And it is incredibly relaxing: while rules about personal electronic devices are explained, we're shown someone strumming a ukulele at a picnic next to a deep canyon. While we're directed to the emergency exits, we get hula dancing. While we're shown the location of the cabin safety card, we watch galloping Hawaiian cowboys.

It's nice to see an airline opt for something relaxing, beautiful, and instructive instead of a bunch of wacky antics. And hey, if you're on a flight to Hawaii, beauty and relaxation is probably exactly what you need.