Hoobastank, Simple Plan, The Used and Lolo performed on a Southwest flight to Orlando on Friday, Nov. 13, on their way to Warped Tour. The flight took off just before the FAA ground stop.
On a day when planes across the country were stuck on the ground, one flight had a concert on board.
Hoobastank, Simple Plan, The Used and Lolo performed for passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Orlando on Friday, Nov. 13, Variety reports. The bands were headed to Orlando for Vans Warped Tour.
The performance was part of Southwest’s “Live at 35” program, which hosts surprise pop-up concerts in the air.
Did the flight take off before the FAA ground stop?
Yes. The flight left Los Angeles around 11 a.m. Pacific time, about two hours before the Federal Aviation Administration declared a nationwide ground stop, Variety reports.
The ground stop halted departures across the U.S. and stranded about 1.5 million travelers, according to a CNN estimate cited by Variety.
Lolo joked on social media that every plane was grounded that day, but the “emo gods” made sure this one flew.
What songs did the bands play on the plane?
Each band played a few hits in the aisles, according to Consequence:
Hoobastank: “The Reason,” the band’s 2004 hit, with passengers singing along
Simple Plan: “Perfect” and “I’m Just a Kid”
The Used: “The Taste of Ink”
The Used also played “All That I’ve Got,” AOL reports. Hoobastank also performed “Crawling in the Dark,” Archyde reports.
Videos from passengers quickly spread on social media. One fan described the singalong with Simple Plan as group therapy, Billboard reports.
The bands performed in the aisles with acoustic guitars, since there is no room for full stage gear in an airplane cabin.
Who are the bands?
All four acts have deep ties to the early 2000s pop-punk and emo scene.
Hoobastank’s “The Reason” was one of the biggest rock songs of 2004 and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Simple Plan, from Montreal, broke out in 2002 with its debut album. The Used, from Utah, became an emo staple in the same era, while Lolo is a newer artist on the tour.
What is Southwest’s Live at 35?
Live at 35 is Southwest Airlines’ in-flight music program. Artists perform short, surprise acoustic sets for passengers at cruising altitude, around 35,000 feet.
Mid-flight concerts are rare, but not new. British band Jamiroquai helped popularize them in 2007 with a concert on a flight from Munich to Athens, APEX reports.
When is Warped Tour in Orlando?
Vans Warped Tour’s Orlando stop runs Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Camping World Stadium campus, Billboard reports. It is the final stop of the 2026 tour, after Washington, D.C., Long Beach, Montreal and Mexico City.
Saturday doors opened at noon, and Sunday doors open at 11 a.m., according to The Orlando Guy.
The festival includes more than 100 acts across the weekend, RouteNote reports.
Who is playing Warped Tour Orlando?
Saturday’s lineup included Sublime, 311, Simple Plan, Third Eye Blind, Hoobastank, Bowling for Soup, Dropkick Murphys and Gym Class Heroes, Loudwire reports.
Sunday’s lineup includes:
Jimmy Eat World
The Used
Taking Back Sunday
New Found Glory
Reel Big Fish
3OH!3
Thrice
Set times are not posted in advance, in true Warped Tour style. They are revealed once gates open.
Can you stream Warped Tour Orlando?
Yes. The Orlando shows are being streamed both days, Loudwire reports. In past years, Warped Tour streamed sets on Amazon Prime and Twitch, but the Orlando streaming setup is different this time.
Check Warped Tour’s official channels for the streaming schedule.
Is Warped Tour coming back in 2027?
Yes. Warped Tour has already announced some 2027 dates, including Long Beach, California, on July 24 and 25, Loudwire reports.
The festival returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary, with Orlando among just three cities to host, CBS12 reports.
For pop-punk and emo fans in Central Florida, this weekend is one of the biggest music events of the year.
Would you want a surprise concert on your next flight? Tell us which band you would want to hear at 35,000 feet.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Variety (Nov. 14, 2026), the flight, Live at 35 and the ground stop timing
Consequence (Nov. 14, 2026), the songs performed
AOL (Nov. 14, 2026), The Used’s set
Archyde (Nov. 14, 2026), Hoobastank’s set
APEX (2016), the history of in-flight concerts
Billboard (Nov. 14, 2026), Warped Tour’s Orlando stop
The Orlando Guy (2026), door times
RouteNote (2026), the festival size
Loudwire (Nov. 2026), the lineups, streaming and 2027 dates
CBS12 (Nov. 2026), the 2025 return
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