How an Indian Singer’s Impromptu Inflight Performance Led to Crew Members’ Suspension

Sony Nigam's impromptu concert on Jodhpur Mumbai Flight. Click on the screenshot to watch the video.

Indian airline company Jet Airways has suspended all five crew members of a Jodhpur-Mumbai chartered flight after a video of Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam‘s impromptu performance during a recent flight went public.

The video, taken by a passenger on a mobile phone, went viral after it was posted to YouTube and has been viewed over 170,000 times at the time of writing.

It features the singer singing using the in-flight public address system and some of the audience standing.

According to reports when co-passengers requested him to sing for them he took over the mic of the cabin PA system and sang a couple of his hits.

Many passengers appeared perplexed at first before bursting into applause and shouting cheers of encouragement.

Even though the video was shot a month back on January 4, it only came out in public recently. Following a request by The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials the airline have temporarily suspended the all-women crew that was present on that flight.

Skonu Nigam, one of the highest paid Indian playback singers, has sung and acted in several Indian movies and released pop albums. He was nominated for the Oscars in 2015 along with composer Bickram Ghosh for their composition in the Hindi movie Jal.

On social media Jet Airways were accused of an overreaction.

Word of caution would've been enough. But suspending crew for Sonu Nigam singing on flight shows how humourless, tightassed we're becoming

— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) February 5, 2016

Sonu Nigam sings in plane- Air Hostes got suspended.

Terrorist hijacked plane- Well.. umm.. meehh.. duh.. lets play politics on this

— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) February 5, 2016

What an idiotic move. Is Sonu Nigam a terrorist? He wasn't itching to sing. Passengers requested. Pls revoke. https://t.co/4j0uEtXB46

— Roflindian (@Roflindian) February 5, 2016

We really need to grow up! Flights tend to be boring – so what if Sonu Nigam sang a song? How is that a “security threat”? #JetAirways

— Archer (@TheArcherIsIn) February 5, 2016

Some users supported the step in favour of passenger security:

I'm frigging @SonuNigam, who cares about airline security protocols?: @JetAirways suspends crew for in-flight gig https://t.co/QX27L8cxBT

— David Tusing (@DavidTusing) February 6, 2016

let's not waste on Sonu Nigam anymore
I suggest he b punished along with d pilot. if Pilot wa not aware of cabin drama, it's security risk

— #IntolrnKrishnaBaalu (@IndusSpirit) February 6, 2016

There's no justification for Sonu Nigam's act! Aviation security should be of utmost importance & it should not be compromised!

— Gaurav (@piplaniG) February 5, 2016

Shivakumar Muruganandam comments on YouTube:

Rules are for everyone. PA system is kept for a specific purpose and this is a misuse. There maybe lot of passengers in that plane who don't give a damn about Sonu Nigam or his songs and this is nuisance to them. period.

However, Nigam himself criticized Jet Airways’ suspension calling it “real intolerance”:

#EXCLUSIVE – @sonunigam calls suspension of crew for letting him sing ‘real intolerance’ – https://t.co/1Muq87tRGu pic.twitter.com/lQqUupvHY2

— BombayTimes (@bombaytimes) February 5, 2016

In a public statement Nigam said:

I have witnessed an elaborate fashion show in an aircraft. I have heard of small concerts happening in an aircraft. I have seen pilots and crew members cracking humorous jokes to loosen up passengers in other countries, which is so cool. To suspend crew members for asking me to sing on the address system, when the seat belt signs were off, and no announcements were to be made, is nothing less than punishing someone for spreading happiness.[..]Indians, need to loosen up. This act of lack of common sense, according to me, is real intolerance.[..]

Apart from many posts supporting the airline's decision to respect the law and passenger's safety, and many other comments opposing the crew members’ suspension, the event showcasecd Indian Twitter's humour.

Akshar Pathak wrote a series of witty tweets inserting words connected with air travel into some of Nigam's most popular songs:

Airhostess Sonu Nigam: “Tray table bandh kar lein. Kursi ki peti baandh lein. Toilet jaane nahi denge tujhe. Jaane tujhe, denge nahi.”

— Akshar (@AksharPathak) February 5, 2016

Sonu Nigam as airhostess: Please close the tray table and tighten your seatbelt. [We] won't let you go to the toilet! (original lyrics “Toilet jaane nahi denge tujhe. Jaane tujhe, denge nahi.” from one of Nigam's popular Bollywood songs)

Jet Airways, in a recent tweet, has confirmed that the crew members have be grounded temporarily but will resume in their jobs after a “relevant” briefing/training: