A Southwest Airlines charter flight became an airborne concert venue on Friday as Lolo, Hoobastank, The Used and Simple Plan performed for about 125 passengers traveling from Los Angeles to Orlando for the Vans Warped Tour. The audience included fans, influencers and journalists, some of whom boarded without knowing all four acts would play during the trip.
The event began at Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 1, where a rock playlist greeted travelers at the gate. Many wore black clothing and rock-themed outfits, along with Vans shoes, hats and other accessories. Passengers had a chance to sing their favorite songs before meeting the four recording acts, all of whom were on the festival lineup.
The performances were organized through Southwest’s Live at 35 program, which marks its 15th anniversary this year and offers surprise concerts and events at 35,000 feet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the charter departed about an hour before the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all U.S. flights, citing extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns.
Lolo opened the in-flight lineup over Texas with four songs. She told passengers that anxiety about flying had nearly kept her from accepting the booking and noted how unusual it was for her to spend so long without a seat belt. Hoobastank followed with three songs, finishing with the band’s 2004 hit “The Reason.” Singer Doug Robb requested that the cabin lights be switched off and passengers raise their phone flashlights as they sang along.
Robb also joked with the audience, briefly taking an iPad from a passenger who appeared to be shopping online and offering encouragement about the purchase. The Used frontman Bert McCracken later commented on the unusual performance setting as the aircraft passed over New Orleans. The band’s four-song set included a sing-along to “The Taste of Ink,” which McCracken introduced with a joke referencing Hoobastank’s earlier performance.
Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier performed last in the main lineup, with songs including “I’d Do Anything” and “I’m Just a Kid.” He playfully acknowledged Mark Hoppus, the Blink-182 singer and bassist featured on “I’d Do Anything,” although Hoppus was not aboard. Bouvier also changed a lyric to reference the Vans Warped Tour.
Introducing “I’m Just a Kid,” Bouvier recalled its later popularity through a social media challenge in which participants recreated childhood photographs. As the aircraft descended, he asked for dimmer cabin lighting and joked about the flight crew taking on concert lighting duties.
Event host Markus Lloyd told THR that unexpected performances add excitement for passengers already heading somewhere fun. Friday’s flight ended with another appearance by Hoobastank, who played an encore shortly before the aircraft landed safely in Orlando.
