MEDIA RELEASE

“Flash Mob” dances have been catching on all over the world at busy intersections, department stores, sports events, train stations and the like.

But last week the phenomenon reached new heights – 38,000-feet up in the air to be exact – when more than 20 people aboard a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767 flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, surprised fellow passengers by stepping out of their seats to dance hula in the aisles.

The dancers were from Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, a Hawaiian hula halau (school) based in San Francisco, on their way to Honolulu.

The school’s director, kumu hula Patrick Makuakane, masterminded the flash mob, Hawaiian Airlines’ style.

Makuakane’s halau had previously staged flash mobs in the Bay Area. “We call it ‘hit and run hula’ – a novel way to amuse, entertain, surprise, and at the same time, bring people into contact with the art of hula,” he said.

“Hawaiian worked with us in crafting the in-flight experience,” said Makuakane, noting that the airline played the halau’s dance music over the aircraft sound system. “They understood our motives and recognized that the flash mob would be both unexpected and entertaining. They could see the fun of it – and of course, they appreciate the cultural values of hula, as we knew only Hawaiian Airlines would. The passengers really enjoyed the surprise performance.”

The members of the halau left their seats one by one and danced to “Ke Aloha,” a Hawaiian song, followed by “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” — all this taking place while soaring over the Pacific Ocean.

The unexpected performance drew applause from passengers and can be viewed on Hawaiian’s Airlines’ YouTube page at www.youtube.com/hawaiianairlines

“We saw this as another way to express the unique spirit of our Hawaiian hospitality and culture,” said Blaine Miyasato, vice president of product development for the airline. “It was fun to see all these people come together, seemingly at random, and out of the blue perform their sublime hula high above the clouds.”

Videos shot by passengers using camera-phones have already found their way to YouTube and the Twitter universe.

Now in its 82nd year of continuous service in Hawaii, Hawaiian is the largest provider of passenger air service to Hawaii from the state’s primary visitor markets on the U.S. mainland.

Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more U.S. gateway cities (10) than any other airline, as well as service to South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, American Samoa, and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides approximately 150 daily jet flights between the Hawaiian Islands.

— Find out more:
HawaiianAirlines.com