My strategy, especially when I fly alone, on short flights in economy, is usually the same. I board, grab the items I’ll need during the flight, perhaps flip through the in flight magazine or my phone before switching it to flight mode.
Then I politely listen to the safety demonstration, put my headphones on and zone out for most of the flight, either watching something on a device, or listening to music on my phone. The time, well, ‘flies’… 😉
But some passengers do get bored on flights, and Garuda Indonesia has come up with a novel way to entertain them.
Garuda Indonesia has launched live, inflight acoustic performances on certain domestic flights, starting with Jakarta to Denpasar Bali, showcasing new and emerging local Indonesian talent.
Hadirkan pengalaman penerbangan berbeda, Garuda Indonesia tampilkan live music akustik #GIACOUSTIC di pesawat. Berita selengkapnya di https://t.co/EoAB5ldiDA #GAnews pic.twitter.com/MNEvGhD8Y6
— Garuda Indonesia (@IndonesiaGaruda) January 9, 2019
These flights are short and the performances are too — lasting only 10 to 15 minutes.
Newsweek is reporting the purpose of this experiment is to go after younger flyers, i.e. millennials, who want a different flight experience.
While there may be some millennials who would enjoy the opportunity to share this experience on social media, I suspect they would already be so focused on entertainment on their own devices they may not even realise the performance is occurring.
It will be annoying for any passengers trying to rest to have live, presumably fairly loud music in the confined cabin, but as I said, the flights are short and they will not be on every flight. The Twitter photos above suggest that flight is a daytime flight.
Bottom line
I guess on the odd flight a short musical performance would be entertaining, but otherwise this initiative definitely isn’t for me. I like the fact that I can lose myself in a movie or TV show of my choosing, without bothering anyone else, which makes the flight time pass more quickly.
If I wanted to discover the music of new local artists, I would research it before the flight rather than just hoping that group popped up on my next flight.
I love the advancements in technology both for IFE and personal devices. If you are prepared, it’s very difficult to get bored, even on long flights.
I may be relatively young still (I hope!) but I do remember the old days of flying where a movie would be played on a big projection screen at the front of the 747 cabin that wouldn’t be paused once it started, if you wanted to use the bathroom or nap!
Would you listen to a live music performance on a flight?
I'm torn on this one.
On the one hand, 10-15 minutes isn't that long, and I like experiencing local music.
On the other hand, if this was the last leg of a long journey and I was exhausted, this would be about as welcome as performers on the subway in the morning, the bane of my existence when I lived in NYC.
No thank you.
As others have mentioned, whatever the type of music.
I want a flight to get me from A to B with minimum distractions - I object to pilot announcements unless there is a delay or somesuch.
OK for charter/concert-in-the-air flight, not sure about the scheduled flight though
Didn’t Asiana used to do this with violin playing FAs in biz or first?
Seems like an expensive strategy to carry 3-4 extra people on board for a 15 min performance.
Even 10 minutes is 10 minutes to long!
I don’t care if it’s a local band playing local tunes from the area or Julian Lloyd Webber on the cello performing Elgar just NO.
The type of people who would seriously want this are also probably the type to clap along loudly with the music, which is annoying. Even if they played exactly the type of music that I love, I would not want this on an airplane.
Any truth to the rumors that Michael Flatley is in talks to stage "Riverdance: Stairway to Heaven!" on select RyanAir flights?
I hope LH and central European airlines don't get the same idea and introduce the horrid polka music
Inflight live music performance? No good idea at all. Travelling alone, it is so nice to lose myself in things I am interested in, whatever it can be: movie, music, book...
@Chris: Totally agree.
It's hard for ethnocentric people to put themselves in the shoes of others...
@Dan
"not everyone will appreciate “ethnic” music"
Indonesian music on a domestic flight in Indonesia isn't "ethnic", it's just music.
I saw a video of a Brussels Airline flight to Tomorrowland which had a DJ and glow sticks. I would love more DJ flights. I would have loved to have been on that flight even if I was the oldest person on there.
Could you imagine a DJ spinning some house music on a flight? Set that mood lighting to strobe? Or some old school house with some Motown sprinkled in? wow.
Destination...
I saw a video of a Brussels Airline flight to Tomorrowland which had a DJ and glow sticks. I would love more DJ flights. I would have loved to have been on that flight even if I was the oldest person on there.
Could you imagine a DJ spinning some house music on a flight? Set that mood lighting to strobe? Or some old school house with some Motown sprinkled in? wow.
Destination music. Mariachi to Mexico, Reggae to the Caribbean. Country to Nashville. House music to Coachella. It would be awesome.
I saw a video of a Brussels Airline flight to Tomorrowland which had a DJ and glow sticks. I would love more DJ flights. I would have loved to have been on that flight even if I was the oldest person on there.
Could you imagine a DJ spinning some house music on a flight? Set that mood lighting to strobe? Or some old school house with some Motown sprinkled in? wow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH8CXwI1Esc
...I saw a video of a Brussels Airline flight to Tomorrowland which had a DJ and glow sticks. I would love more DJ flights. I would have loved to have been on that flight even if I was the oldest person on there.
Could you imagine a DJ spinning some house music on a flight? Set that mood lighting to strobe? Or some old school house with some Motown sprinkled in? wow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH8CXwI1Esc
Destination music. Mariachi to Mexico, Reggae to the Caribbean. Country to Nashville. House music to Coachella. It would be awesome.
Flight attendants in the US should do this because often they are not serving.
My worst nightmare right there.
This is ridiculous. Air plane cabin is hardly the appropriate place for live music. It has terrible acoustics and not everyone will appreciate "ethnic" music. I don't understand the people who are cheering for this. If you are flying to or from the destination flown by Garuda, shouldn't you be trying to experience the local culture in more appropriate venues in the first place?
On some leisure routes, e.g. to PMI, this may be a great way for low cost carriers to boost the rip-off-sale of alcohol on board.
I think this is great especially since it's local talent. It's a way to immerse oneself to a small part of modern Indonesian culture.
I can see how westerners may not be too keen on it but for domestic flights Garuda's main market are locals. Good for them.
Also, most people who travel CGK-DPS tend to do so for leisure purposes and highly doubt any business folks would need to use a laptop and work during those 15 mins of live music.
First the triangular Bali route, now this? This new CEO of theirs is too revolutionary for their own good. On the bright side I hear they're launching free WiFi for domestic flights this year
I would love a mariachi band on a flight!
You know what would be even more fun? Karaoke! That way passengers can belt out their favorite tunes to the rest of the cabin.
Another fun thing. Bingo! Why aren't there any bingo flights?
There are so many better things to do in this world than to plug in headphones and stare at a screen.
”I hope I don't fall asleep during this red-eye flight and instead hope to listen to some artist I have never heard of.”
-no economy passenger ever
To guys who are saying this is annoying...like really guys? Please go get a life. This is such a cool idea you also get to know local music & have a feel for it. I would say thumbs up to Garuda Indonesia for trying something new. Would definitely give my business to them just for doing this.
I love this idea! Being exposed to different things like this is fun, especially since it's an apparently relatively short performance. On the other hand, if it were gamelan music, lasting for hours, I'd be tempted to open the emergency exit, lol.
Why do millennials like such weird shit?
Finally you cover this! Its sound ridiculous! Back in indonesia it felt like we were in a bus! I hope they get rid of this because i would really hate it..
Sure, why not, if it's fairly brief on a daytime flight. I think those who always fly in premium cabins get jaded and have your pre departure beverages and amenity kits to play with. I do think they'll get a better response in the back of the plane.
Annoying. Definitely a deal breaker to motivate taking a longer flight or one with a connection instead.
Who has ever been flying a thought they’d really wish a mariachi band would shoe up? No one.
Hard pass. If it was more mood music, that’s different.