On an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to New York JFK Saturday, passengers pulled out their violins and played for the cabin as St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaches.
The music is excellent, but this isn’t what everyone had signed up for. There’s no “no music” section of the aircraft. It’s been described as ‘Aches On A Plane’ and we’re all just waiting for Samuel L. Jackson.
We’re lucky that no one decided “that’s what emergency evacuation slides are for” since it looks like this may have been happening as the aircraft was getting ready to deplane. If true, at least escape was near. On the other hand, most passengers probably already put away their noise cancelling headphones.
Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to JFK yesterday. I mean, I understand it's done from a good place, but also feel like you don't play music (or much worse, sing) in an enclosed space there's no escape from pic.twitter.com/UlqmHAqj03
— Adam Singer (@AdamSinger) March 12, 2023
I might have coaxed some Brits on the flight into a competing round of ‘God Save The King’ and then whatever happens, happens.
We’ve seen involuntary musical flash mobs on aircraft far more recently. For instance, here’s a violinist performing on Southwest Airlines earlier this month. Though I suppose if that’s the only gig you can get, you take it.
Imagine getting serenaded at 30,000 feet by a professional violinist 😍 pic.twitter.com/RlszyWTzXJ
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 2, 2023
Meanwhile, last fall Southwest Airlines took money from another company to subject passengers to a cruel torture experiment an advertisement for their musical instruments.
We teamed up with @guitarcenter to surprise a flight full of Customers flying out of Long Beach with a ukulele and a lesson. By the time they arrived in Honolulu they were pros. pic.twitter.com/XsEx10sRJK
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) September 20, 2022
It seems to me that when then-Senator Ted Kennedy successful secured passage of the Airline Deregulation Act, which created a dedicated regulator for the industry in order to ensure safe and efficient air travel, stopping this was precisely what the drafters had in mind.
Again, the music is lovely, but when you’re inside a metal tube and it wasn’t advertised with your ticket, it’s precisely what I imagine CIA rendition to be like.
(HT: Hans)
As long as its not hip hop or rap….
I’m a reader on planes but it sure looked like a lot of smiling passengers
It’s lovely and why not, particularly if it was short.
@ Gary — United flight attendants are specially trained to break violins.
“There no “no music” area of the aircraft” is relevant here. Particularly when you chose a foreign carrier to their homeland location. Buys in to Irish hospitality at touch points but doesn’t really like Irish people being Irish in group scenarios. Can the Texan guest advise how long this disturbance lasted on his transatlantic flight? Hint…minutes; judging by the queue (Americans- lines) to disembark (perhaps a gate wait…another Dublin tradition) as they had to be seated for landing and taxi. When in Texas, I generally roll with the local culture of Country Western or Christian Rock radio in my taxi for half hour journeys to Houston from IAH. It never occurred to me to record and post.
Seems contradictory to requiring ear-pods/headphones to listen to audio on a plane. I’d prefer to be consistent and consider this no different than any other audio playing in flight.
Oh just wait until the inflight drag shows…..and don’t dare complain…or else
What a grouch! I would welcome any sort of musical relief on a flight – once had a broadway singer give us a few tunes and it was great!
I would’ve used earplugs for the Aer Lingus noisy ‘serenade’, but would definitely have been “all ears” for the ‘serenade’ by the classical violinist on Southwest (second twitter feed from top), who played the soulful melody titled “Estrellita” (“Little Star”) by the great Mexican composer Manual Ponce (see: “Concierto del Sur” for Guitar and Orchestra), and much more like it!
“Manuel Ponce”
If I had been on that Aer Lingus flight I would have been completely delighted, enchanted, at listening to some perfectly lovely Irish music like that…and I hope it isn’t just my Irish half (the other is Italian…) thinking that!
OK drrichard,
As a 64 year old white IT worker and aspiring rap artist, I take offense. I bought a ticket and you are now my audience.
No. Just no.
The jet engines are loud enough.
When is that sound proof plane
coming?
As a fiddler, I did this in the 80s. The passengers requested it. We were mostly KYians going home.
No real opinion either way. Having any musical talent is an extraordinary gift and hqving that level of talent is also a gift to be able to enjoy as a listener. Fortunately ear phones help those not interested in listening to concerto music.
I believe most complainers live to complain. They see how much publicity there is to gain by complaining and enjoy the 15 minutes of fame it brings.
Ted Kennedy didn’t secure passenger the act, he secured passage. Stop switching the Editor’s coffee for decaf!
It’s a throwback to the old days when everyone on the plane had to watch the movie.
It could be worse – you could have a bagpipe band with pipes and drums decide to play on board!
Ukuleles? What’s next, mandatory root canals except without anesthesia? That’s a negative, Ghost Rider.
I’d much rather listen to the occasional musician playing a brief song than be subjected to yet another spiel about the AA Aviator Red Mastercard, which they make multiple times on each flight (made even more obnoxious because I’m already a cardholder)
Gives me Titanic vibes…
I agree with you, Gary.
However, I don’t understand why you dislike this, but you love the absolute cringe that is Southwest comedy routines, tacky marriage proposals, twerking the safety announcement etc.
It’s wildly imposing on other people.
What gives?
This is torture for those of us with auditory processing problems, autism, or ADHD. Please don’t subject us to it.
On my next flight I plan to bring my drums and serenade the lucky fliers.
There is no “no music” area of the aircraft” is relevant here. Until there is you are subject to human interactions including music until stopped by crew decision. Interesting post when you chose a foreign carrier to their homeland location. Buys in to Irish hospitality at touch points but doesn’t really like Irish people being Irish in group scenarios. Can the Texan guest advise how long this disturbance lasted on his transatlantic flight? Hint…minutes; judging by the queue (Americans- lines) to disembark (perhaps a gate wait…another Dublin tradition) as they had to be seated for landing and taxi. When in Texas, I generally roll with the local culture of Country Western or Christian Rock radio in my taxi for half hour journeys to Houston from IAH. It never occurred to me to record and post.
It’s a good thing the Riverdance troupe wasn’t on board.
Bah humbug. I would have loved to have been there to see this.
I honestly can’t tell if this whole article is taking a piss or not. Rather this then the drunks you get on the way to Las Vegas
You must be a miserable son of a bitch. In 84 my orchestra, returning from a European tour, broke our violins and violas out of the overheads and played an impromptu half hour concert. We played everything from classical to Glenn Miller. It was universally well received.
Although some people like the violin do not care much for it. This also leaves open those who want rap, rock, country. That’s why they have head phones. Insee a big lawsuit happen if someone wants to play a little gansta’ rap .
I don’t mind the violin when it’s used by, let’s say Electric Light Orchestra; but as a solo instrument I hate when they go all hi pitched frenetic, which sounds like fighting cats to me.
Bagpipes or rap would definitely instigate justified violence in said perpetrators, tho.
Now Bob Seger or Smoky Robinson… that would be cool.
How braindead do you have to be to think everyone loves the music you do?
What is this, steerage on the Titanic?
Oh, for Pete’s sake. Have we come to a place we complain about everything we don’t like–purportedly, but not really, on behalf of others? Please, allow others to enjoy what you may not. I stand for tolerance, courtesy and good manners. We’re all different and we need to get over ourselves.
Umm yes… Have you been on a plane recently? Plus in steerage I do believe Jack said that’s where the real party was.
This is exactly the attitude one gets when music and art
programs are dropped from public schools. This proves we’re cultivating luddites. This society has no appreciation for artistry or craftsmanship.
A few years back I remember some Disney Broadway show was bellowing out these African horrific songs on board airliners and I don’t remember any headline saying passengers had to endure is it because it’s Caucasian singing and we know we can’t say anything when it’s reversed
First it was in-flight movies with sex and violence…now it’s live performances with sax and violins?
Some of those responding don’t accept the proposition “there’s a time and place for everything.”
An airplane cabin isn’t the place for a musical serenade, especially when instruments are involved, and the performers aren’t using their seatbelts. Fortunately, the plane was cruising at an altitude where a sudden change in the altitude of the plane was highly unlikely. However, in the event there was turbulence, I can just imagine what would have happened to the musicians and their instruments.
One needn’t be paranoid to keep the seatbelt loosely fastened while seated and not to stand about in the aisles or galley area while the plane is in the air.
I feel certain that had a troupe of actors been on board and had they wished to recite lines from a play, the reaction of their fellow passengers would have been quite different. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” or even “Hamilton” at 30,000 feet?!!
C J McIntosh – Wow! You would have to bring race into this! Why? Unwarranted and despicable.
I do a really good elk call. I get paid to give lessons from major elk conservation groups. Am I ok to start doing this on planes now? Or is it just what is acceptable to NPR listeners?
I would’ve begun to sing. They’d immediately regret what they’d started.
Southwest should have to give the passengers subjected to this nonsense a free ticket for a year. This is what happens when you give dipsh-t flight attendants any level of authority
Well bah friggin humbug to you too Mr. Scrooge
I would love it!
Why is the FAA not investigating these stupidities for safety violations?
This airline should be paid a heavy fine for safety violations!!!
Unexpected turbulence can happen at anytime and I’m sure no one will enjoy being accidentally stab in the eye with the violin bow
“Forced to endure”?
Only in the U.S. would this be the headline. Music is a gift! If someone is nice enough to play for you — especially in a situation as banal as flying — then accept their gift and savor the moment. Most citizens of other countries would. We need more beauty and less grind in our culture.
Moral of the story, dont fly southwest.
I love good music. Repeat: good music. And I would not have welcomed hearing any of this on a flight. Is it worse than crying babies? Maybe not. But if my earplugs weren’t adequate to blocking out the screeching of Irish violins, I might have started some screeching of my own.
This would have been pure torture. I would have preferred hip hop or rap.