Los Angeles, CA – “Saturday Night Live” kicked off the new year by satirizing Alaska Airlines’ response to a recent flight emergency. The sketch comedy show aired a mock commercial featuring cast members Heidi Gardner, Jacob Elordi, and Kenan Thompson, who poked fun at the airline’s near-catastrophic incident.
During the skit, the cast members introduced the airline’s new slogan and marketing campaign. They made light of the incident where a panel blew out mid-flight over Oregon earlier this month. Gardner delivered the new motto, saying, “Alaska Airlines, you didn’t die and you got a cool story.”
Elordi humorously commented on the unique experience of flying with Alaska Airlines. He mentioned that on other airlines, passengers can watch movies, but on Alaska, “you’re in the movie.” The show then presented a dramatic reenactment of the flight, complete with screaming passengers and a visible door-sized hole on the fuselage.
On January 6, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 departed from Portland International Airport but had to return only 35 minutes later due to depressurization caused by a ripped-off side panel on the Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet. The incident resulted in the loss of passengers’ personal belongings and a frightening experience for those on board.
Thompson, another cast member, humorously addressed the airline’s response to the incident. He announced that they would tighten the bolts holding the planes together. This comment was a playful nod to Alaska Airlines’ inspection of its equipment following the mishap.
The sketch also made references to previous incidents involving the airline, such as a pilot’s attempt to turn off the engine mid-flight while on mushrooms. Despite these incidents, the mock commercial stated that Alaska Airlines is “still better than Spirit,” another low-cost carrier.
The satirical commercial included additional humorous safety features, such as an oversized safety brochure and deploying the emergency slide before take-off. The show also parodied the tradition of handing out life jackets by having them handed out to passengers as they deboard the plane, mimicking Hawaii Airlines’ practice of giving leis.
“Saturday Night Live” concluded the skit by highlighting Alaska Airlines’ slogan and fading to black. The segment brought comedic relief to a serious incident and added humor to the airline’s response.
Altogether, the SNL skit served to entertain viewers while satirizing Alaska Airlines’ handling of the mid-air blowout incident. It shed light on the incident and poked fun at the airline’s response in a lighthearted manner.