After being delayed at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in downtown Buenos Aires last week, 1980s pop star Cyndi Lauper completed an impromptu sing-along in the terminal building performing one of her most famous hits on the tannoy system. The singer was waiting for a flight to Santiago, Chile as she continued her Memphis Blue world tour, when she and hundreds more were delayed due to an extended holiday weekend. As tempers were beginning to fray, Ms Lauper, assisted by airport staff, grabbed hold of a microphone and belted out her 1983 hit ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun!’ across the public address system. Airport staff said her quick thinking deflated what could have been a difficult situation, settling the delayed passengers, some of whom even joined in with her rendition.
The spontaneous performance certainly changed the mood of travellers who suddenly forgot about their long delays. Some airports already offer live entertainment for passengers in the departure lounge and this is an option that more and more airports and their airline partners are now actively considering to boost their marketing options.
This week JetBlue Airways announced an exclusive, intimate concert for ticketed customers by Irish recording artist Julie Feeney who is to perform post-security at Terminal 5 (T5) at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport on March 17 to close a special two-day St. Patrick's Day event hosted in JetBlue's Marketplace at T5 in partnership with Tourism Ireland and Aer Lingus.
"Whether it's St. Patrick's Day or any holiday, JetBlue enjoys celebrating special events with our customers by offering unique experiences and private Live from T5 performances by some of today's top artists," said Chris Timmins, Brand Co-ordinator, JetBlue Airways.