Times are incredibly bleak around the world. This is very much the case for workers in the aviation industry, many of whom will be laid off in the coming days and weeks as airlines suspend flights. Today, a video surfaced on Twitter of a KLM flight attendant singing for her passengers - a beautiful demonstration of humanity in these tough times.

The heartwarming performance

The video was posted by a user by the name of Yteke de Jong (Twitter handle @ytekedejong) on March 24th. In the video, the purser makes an emotional introduction to her performance, saying the following:

“In this difficult time I would to say goodbye to you in a different way. We are, this flight crew, rather emotional of what is going to happen with KLM, and with everything. We have a blue heart, and we do not know when to show this again to you. Nowadays music brings us together, and that’s why I will sing a song to you to say goodbye, and wish you all the best, and love, and stay healthy from us, KLM crew.”

Then she proceeds to sing the song “When Will I See You Again?” - shown below:

The situation for KLM

It was just over 10 days ago when a video was distributed to all KLM employees. The video had the airline’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, deliver news that 1,500 to 2,000 jobs would be cut due to increasing travel restrictions and the accompanying drop in demand. In addition to this, Elbers added that 30-40% of flights would be suspended by the airline as it fights to manage its costs and avoid financial ruin.

Much has happened in the last 10 days and it is possible the airline has decided to make further cuts - or is planning to in the near future.

“The impact of the coronavirus on aviation and KLM is enormous and the situation is constantly changing and deteriorating. With the latest developments in the US, we have entered a crisis of unprecedented magnitude, and it is clear that KLM must take drastic measures to deal with this exceptional situation,” -KLM statement via NL Times

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the flag carrier of the Netherlands. Photo: Getty Images

Conclusion

It is an incredibly sad situation for the airline industry the world over. Almost every major commercial airline has made announcements of capacity cuts, flight suspensions, and massive lay-offs.

For this flight attendant to perform for her passengers shows a huge amount of resolve in the face of uncertainty about the future. While this particular employee was able to muster the courage and energy to sing in front of 100+ strangers, other flight attendants are also showing similar levels of resolve. In the simple act of carrying out the last days of their duties with a warm smile and professional attitude, while possibly exposing themselves to a viral infection, takes a lot of heart.

We understand travelers in these times are stressed, worried, and anxious about their own futures. We also understand that even just being able to board a re-booked flight has been a huge ordeal for many. However, we should be thanking our flight attendants for dutifully doing their jobs during these certain times and getting us home safely.