People threaten to ‘open plane door’ after flight gives ukuleles to everyone on board

In a publicity and marketing stunt with a guitar company, an airline gave each of its passengers a ukulele to brighten up their fight – but the response of the internet was far from excited

People have claimed that it’s “hard to imagine a worse fate” after an airline gave all of its passengers ukuleles for the flight.

Taking to its official Twitter account, the United States’ Southwest Airlines shared how it had “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.”

But for some, the prospect of a hundred people in a confirmed space with no way out all strumming wildly on ukuleles they had no idea how to play didn’t sound like the idea of a dream flight.

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“Literally cannot think of anything worse my god”, said @CaitlinSouthan.

@TheTrueJBru added: “I can’t think of a better way to instil an inexplicable sadness in the souls of many flyers at one time.”

Speaking on behalf of the UK, @oliverburkeman said: “This is discrimination against repressed British people”.

“This is against the Geneva Convention”, said: @SweetmotherM.

Multiple people posted memes relating to opening doors and jumping out of the aircraft, while one person even suggested hijacking it.

Coupled with a picture of football manager Jose Mourhino ripping off a pair of headphones, @Andys_Brain said: “Me when my noise-cancelling headphones won’t work against 200 ukuleles”.

@ItsACunningPlan said: “Let’s open the doors and toss ’em out. Yes, I know that’s extremely dangerous, probably even catastrophically dangerous, but I think it’s an option worth considering nevertheless.”

Others didn’t see the funny side, pointing to the genuine issues people with medical conditions might face.

@VockLobster said: “You harassed an entire flight for a promotional partnership?! As someone with sensory processing issues related to noise, I would literally have been bent double in my seat, arms over my head, sobbing, and having a panic attack.”

Another user, @7uu7aa, said: “I would be asking for a parachute and letting me out mid-flight. Some people have sensory issues.”

Other passengers got in touch with different airlines to beg them not to take notice of the stunt.

@VogaJones said: “Dear @FlyFrontier,

“I’m booked on your airline for next week. Don’t get any ideas.”

In a later tweet, Southwest put everyone out of their misery by saying, because everyone mastered the instrument so quickly, they put them down after 20 minutes.

“Don’t worry, y’all,” they said, “everyone put their ukuleles away after 20 minutes since they had already mastered how to play.”

Whether that is the real reason or not remains unknown…

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