Hoobastank and Simple Plan singers perform on grounded Southwest flight to delight of Warped Tour-goers

Detailed summary

A flight passenger wrote on social media: 'Every plane was grounded today, but the emo gods made sure this one flew.'

Published: 18:51 GMT, 14 November 2026 | Updated: 18:55 GMT, 14 November 2026

As the nation was gripped by a historic ground stop, one Southwest flight sat for a performance of a lifetime when rock bands, including Hoobastank, serenaded passengers with hit 2000s songs.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon for five hours following an 'extraordinary' communication problem that officials believed was due to a problem with routine management on outdated air traffic control equipment.

The ground stop prompted thousands of cancellations and hundreds of delays nationwide. It also impacted Vans Warped Tour's stop in Florida this weekend.

The iconic music festival was scheduled for Orlando on Saturday and Sunday, with fans and bands flying into the Sunshine State before the weekend.

Hoobastank members were on a Southwest flight en route to the festival when news of the ground stop broke.

They decided to make the best of the situation, so lead singer and original member Doug Robb grabbed a microphone and serenaded the flight with Hoobastank's nostalgic 2003 hit, The Reason.

Passengers created a makeshift stage, plugging in an amplifier and using their phone flashlights as Robb made his way up the aisle while passengers sang along.

Canadian pop-punk artist Lolo was also on the flight and shared the video, writing on Instagram: 'Thank u Southwest for the memories.'

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