Friday’s nationwide FAA ground stop left thousands of travelers stuck and frustrated, but one planeload of passengers got a concert most fans would pay good money to see.
Simple Plan, Hoobastank, and The Used performed impromptu sets on a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Orlando during the FAA ground stop, according to People and TheWrap. The bands were on their way to the Orlando stop of the Vans Warped Tour, held Nov. 14 and 15.
The Setlist
Each band played some of its best-known songs for the passengers.
Hoobastank played “The Reason,” its 2004 hit, along with “Crawling in the Dark.”
Simple Plan frontman Pierre Bouvier performed acoustic versions of “Perfect” and “I’m Just a Kid,” according to TheWrap. People reported that the band also played “Welcome to My Life” and its theme song for What’s New, Scooby-Doo?
The Used played “The Taste of Ink,” and People reported the band also performed “All That I’ve Got.”
Not every Warped Tour act made it to Orlando on time. Founder Kevin Lyman said in an Instagram video that organizers were working with artists whose flights were affected, and that some Friday performers would be moved to Sunday.
What Caused the FAA Ground Stop
The FAA halted flights nationwide Friday afternoon, citing “communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers.” The ground stop began just before 4 p.m. ET and was lifted at 8:15 p.m. ET, according to ABC News. It was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023.
“It’s just a telecommunication outage as of right now,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, adding that there was no indication of a cyberattack.
The disruption delayed more than 10,300 flights and canceled more than 1,300. It also caused problems well beyond the airport.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Nov 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
