This Week’s “SNL” Addressed Alaska Airlines’ Recent Challenges

Air travel remains a comedic staple

SNL "Alaska Airlines" sketch
A new "SNL" riffed on Alaska Airlines' recent troubles.
NBCUniversal

It’s been a challenging couple of months for Alaska Airlines. Between an off-duty pilot attempting to crash a plane after taking psychedelics to the whole “giant hole opening in the cabin” event, the airline’s communications department is likely experiencing a few headaches of their own. This week, in the show’s first episode of 2024, Saturday Night Live asked: what if Alaska Airlines embraced its recent troubles?

That was the premise of a sketch that took the form of a commercial for the airline in question. “You’ve got to admit — it looked pretty cool: a plane flying around with no door,” said a flight attendant played by SNL vet Kenan Thompson.

“On other airlines, you watch movies,” said another Alaska employee, this one played by SNL host Jacob Elordi. “But on Alaska, you’re in the movie.”

It wasn’t SNL‘s first time riffing on air travel in recent memory; just last month, Adam Driver memorably played a terrifying baby flying for the first time. But in an era where airline amenities are in a constant state of flux, it’s not too hard to imagine an airline (Alaska, in this case) treating chaos as part of the experience — and something that can be priced into the cost of your airfare.

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