Flight from Long Beach to Hawaii interrupted for historic ukulele lesson

What sound do you hear when you think of Hawaii?

Is it the sound of ocean waves lapping the sand of a pristine beach? The wind rustling through palm trees? If you answered “the ukulele,” then you’ll want to keep reading.

On Friday, passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Long Beach to Honolulu were surprised with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Guitar Center, the music instrument retailer, gave each passenger a free ukulele lesson mid-flight. Organizers called it the “first ever in-flight ukulele lesson.”

Over the course of the six-hour flight, passengers onboard were taught how to play “Hello, Aloha. How are you?” in its entirety on Hawaii’s most famous instrument.

“I’ve taught students through Guitar Center Lessons since 2014, but never in an airplane. It was inspiring to see how quickly passengers of all ages picked up the ukulele – many with no musical background,” said Alexandra Windsor, educational affairs specialist for Guitar Center Lessons.

As the plane touched down in the Aloha State, each passenger deplaned with a special gift: they got to keep their new instruments and a carrying case to keep them safe.

The Mitchell MU40 Soprano ukulele retails for $60 on Guitar Center’s website, but the experience was priceless.

“The ukulele is the perfect instrument for beginners, and it shows just how fun and easy learning something new can be,” Windsor said.