‘SNL’ pokes fun at Alaska Airlines following midair blowout

“Saturday Night Live” returned from its winter hiatus and poked fun at Alaska Airlines’ response to its recent flight that experienced a panel blowout mid-flight over Oregon earlier this month.

During the first episode of the new year, “SNL” aired a mock commercial for the airline, starring Heidi Gardner, Jacob Elordi and Kenan Thompson, sharing the company’s new slogan and marketing campaign following the near-catastrophic incident two weeks ago.

“Alaska Airlines, you didn’t die and you got a cool story,” Gardner says.

“On other airlines, you can watch movies, but on Alaska, you’re in the movie,” host Elordi said before a dramatic reenactment of the Ontario, California-bound flight was shown with screaming passengers and a door size hole on the left side of the fuselage.

The Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 departed from from Portland International Airport at 4:52 p.m. on January 6 but returned only 35 minutes later when it suffered depressurization in after the side panel ripped off from the Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet.

Host Jacob Elordi appeared in a mock commercial making fun of Alaska Airlines response to a recent mid-air emergency during “SNL’s” show on Jan 20. Saturday Night Live/YouTube

American Airlines Flight 1282 suffered depressurization in after the side panel ripped off from the Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet on Jan. 6, 2024 while flying over Oregon. via REUTERS

Heidi Gardner shared the company’s new motto “Alaska Airlines, you didn’t die and you got a cool story,” during Saturday night’s show. Saturday Night Live/YouTube

During the frightening flight, passengers lost their phones while a small boy, sitting near the opening had to be held by his mother as the force of the wind ripped his shirt off.

Luckily, only one person was injured.

“Since the incident, we’re starting to make some changes,” Thompson said.

“You know those bolts that like hold the plane together? We’re gonna go ahead and tighten some of those,” the “Saltburn” star said referencing the Airline’s inspection of its equipment following the incident.

Passengers sit inside the main cabin of the Alaska Airlines flight after experiencing the mid-flight panel blowout on Jan. 6, 2024. via REUTERS

“SNL” shared a dramatized reenactment of the flight featuring screaming passengers with the blown-out panel on the right side of the video. Saturday Night Live/YouTube

Days after grounding it’s fleet of MAX 9 jets, the airline announced it’s preliminary inspections yielded the discovery of “some loose hardware” was discovered by technicians on some aircrafts.

“When people ask me where the emergency exits are, I’m like there, there, and in 10 minutes probably there,” Thompson added pointing to a window seat in a plane’s cabin.

Some of the new safety features in the faux-ad included an updated safety brochure the size of a dictionary, the emergency slide being deployed before take-off, and life jackets being handed to passengers as they deboard the plane, mocking Hawaii Airlines’ similar gesture with leis.

“Are we in Cleveland,” one “passenger’ asked cast member Michael Longfellow who was performing as a flight attendant.

“Close, the Pacific Ocean,” Longfellow answered while affixing the life vest.

Keenan Thompson points to a panel on a plane where an emergency exit would appear in “10 minutes probably.” Saturday Night Live/YouTube

“SNL” castmember Michael Longfellow plays an Alaska Airlines flight attendant putting a life vest on a passenger before deboarding a flight. Saturday Night Live/YouTube

Days after grounding it’s fleet of MAX 9 jets, the airline announced it’s preliminary inspections yielded the discovery of “some loose hardware” was discovered by technicians on some aircrafts. via REUTERS

“We’re the same airline where a pilot tried to turn off the engine mid-flight, while on mushrooms,” Thompson said. “And now we are so proud to say, that’s our second worst flight.”

The comedian was referencing the Oct. 2023 incident where off-duty worker Joseph Emmerson “mental breakdown” while on the psychedelic drug and attempted to crash a San Francisco-bound flight.

“Alaska Airlines, still better than Spirit,” a narration said as the clip faded to black.