MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Russian budget airline Avianova announced it will be hiring clowns, actors and musicians to amuse and entertain passengers during flights.

Avianova officials said the first in-flight live entertainment will take place Saturday on a flight from Moscow to Krasnodar.


The airline said it was inspired to install stages on the planes when it was forced to reduce the number of seats from 180 to 159 because of a change in Russian customs policy.