{"id":22364,"date":"2025-05-12T07:27:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T07:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carma.com\/?p=22364"},"modified":"2025-05-12T07:27:46","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T07:27:46","slug":"how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As PRovoke Media publishes its first quarterly crisis review of 2025<\/a>, including the fatal American Airlines\/Black Hawk helicopter collision in January, we\u2019ve taken a closer look at other airlines that have faced serious crises over the past 18 months and how their responses to these issues have affected their overall reputation after the events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reputational issues in the airline industry can arise from various challenges including flight delays, cancellations, poor customer service, baggage handling or at the very worst, safety issues. With the high level of competition and public scrutiny in the industry, even small missteps can escalate quickly \u2013 particularly across social media \u2013 damaging an airline’s image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crises such as crashes, accidents or general safety incidents can have a long-lasting impact on public trust. Airlines must proactively address these issues through transparent communication, effective customer service and robust safety protocols to maintain their reputation and customer loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Korean Air \/ Cathay Pacific Collision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In January 2024, a Korean Air plane collided with a Cathay Pacific jet at New Chitose Airport, Japan. While no injuries were reported, Cathay Pacific\u2019s social media saw a spike in negativity as users responded to the incident, initially concerned for the welfare of passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, quick communications from Cathay Pacific detailing that the plane \u201cwas stationary at the time with no customers nor crew onboard\u201d when it was \u201cstruck by a Korean Air A330 which was taxiing past\u201d meant users quickly abated and moved on, as seen by the rapid fall in negative social media mentions shortly after the initial spike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quick response giving essential details about the situation to social media users was effective in dealing with the crisis, as well as mitigating the sentiment of news coverage, with 89% of reports on the collision being neutral as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this was not the case for the string of cancellations that beset the airline in the same month. Staff shortages led to over 40 flights being cancelled in the last three days of December and New Year\u2019s Day. This continued into January, peaking on January 7th with 27 flights cancelled in a single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The response from the company was initially somewhat effective, as the airline apologised and said they had \u201cunderestimated the number of reserve pilots,\u201d citing staff illness as the root of the cancellations and announcing an internal investigation. Apologising and taking responsibility by acknowledging the lack of reserve pilots at first had all the hallmarks of an appropriate PR response. Also, the company assured the public it would be operating flights as normal for the Lunar New Year, showing a clear understanding of what mattered most to its consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a statement from the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association \u2013 a union of Cathay Pacific pilots \u2013 said it had been warning of the staff shortfall for months. It highlighted that the airline had made substantial reductions to its staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as introducing pay cuts for staff that later led to pilots leaving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result of this was substantial criticism of the company and a large amount of its coverage being negative in tone for that month (42% in total). On social media, 64% of coverage of the event was negative towards Cathay Pacific, with users expressing frustration over having their flights cancelled. Criticisms of the airline focused primarily on the discussion around staffing, with the company\u2019s initial statement now appearing to be an attempt to dodge responsibility rather than acknowledge it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After CEO, Lin Shaobo, apologised again and admitted it had been a planning error, coverage became more neutral in tone. 10% of social media discussions of the cancellations were positive, primarily due to users referencing this statement from Shaobo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cathay Pacific\u2019s PR crisis underscored the importance of addressing the core issue directly in crisis communications and anticipating potential developments, rather than offering alternative explanations that invite further criticism. While the airline initially faced backlash for its lack of communication, Shaobo\u2019s heartfelt apology played a pivotal role in mitigating additional negative coverage as flight cancellations persisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

British Airways Racism Row<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The importance of proactive PR and swift action was further highlighted when a video showing a British Airways cabin crew member mocking Chinese passengers in March 2024 was made public. This generated a high volume of coverage condemning the staff members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, reports also noted they had been promptly fired, with a statement from BA unequivocally condemning their behaviour. The swift and decisive action was praised by social media users, with their comments also cited in some media articles. The speed of the response also meant that even the initial coverage of the story already included BA\u2019s action, mitigating any further negativity. As a result, the airline not only received minimal negative coverage for the incident overall, but it even became a more positive story for BA in 22% of reports on the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Boeing\u2019s Cabin Explosion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The necessity of taking responsibility, proactive action and clear communication were crystallised in the ongoing PR crisis facing Boeing. In January 2025, the door of a 737 Max blew off at 16,000 feet during an Alaska Airlines flight. Viral posts and news stories kicked off a media storm that initially focused on Alaska Airlines, before the target switched to Boeing itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lack of timely communication from the airline giant made the situation worse. In times of crisis, the public expects transparency, yet Boeing failed to offer clear explanations or reassurances. Rather than addressing the issue head-on, the team remained largely silent, leaving consumers frustrated by what they perceived as forced rather than genuine statements. For example, CEO Dave Calhoun’s eventual admission of Boeing’s responsibility came only after the National Transportation Safety Board\u2019s investigation, rather than in the immediate aftermath of the incident when lives were put at risk. This delayed response further fuelled skepticism and distrust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another pivotal moment came on 25th March, when Calhoun stepped down. What could have been seen as a chance for the company to reset was instead perceived as a setback. Calhoun had been the central figure in Boeing’s messaging during the crisis, with all communication coming through him. This approach had been effective in projecting a united front, with the CEO seen as the leader steering the company through turbulent times. However, his resignation sent a different message: rather than signalling a fresh start, it conveyed a sense of instability, portraying the company as being in greater danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boeing\u2019s stock prices plummeting and its name becoming synonymous with \u00abpotentially faulty\u00bb in some online circles caused continued negative coverage. Travel search engine, Kayak, reported a staggering 15-fold increase in users filtering out the Boeing 737 as an option when using the site. The backlash became so pervasive that even minor inconveniences were met with intense negative scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Learning From Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PR can only do so much to mitigate the fallout from issues like those faced by Boeing. The company\u2019s handling of\u00a0recent controversies<\/a>\u00a0highlights a failure to learn from past mistakes, particularly the safety concerns raised by the 2018 and 2019 crashes involving defective aircraft. Given the gravity of those incidents, safety should have been an absolute priority. Therefore, while effective PR can help manage a crisis, it is not a cure-all. It cannot shield a brand from the long-term damage caused by unresolved systemic issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Boeing’s crisis highlights how effective PR helped Cathay Pacific and British Airways successfully mitigate the backlash from their own respective challenges. A key takeaway is the importance of immediately taking responsibility for the issue at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Cathay Pacific initially struggled when its staff union provided a different explanation for the shortage, CEO Lin Shaobo’s decisive leadership and accountability helped turn the situation around. Similarly, companies must act swiftly. British Airways\u2019 prompt dismissal of the staff filmed abusing passengers allowed the media coverage to work in their favour, as the airline\u2019s quick response became a central part of the story, preventing negative narratives from gaining traction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Preparation Is Key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, reacting quickly and effectively isn\u2019t possible without the final piece of the puzzle: preparation. Crisis teams must be fully equipped with a clear understanding of consumer concerns and the company\u2019s stance. For example, Cathay Pacific managed to generate positive coverage even as their PR crisis was unfolding by addressing one of their customers’ key concerns around travel during the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, British Airways’ rapid response was made possible thanks to already-established zero-tolerance policies on racism and clear processes in place to ensure swift action, such as the immediate dismissal of the staff involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how can brands ensure they\u2019re truly prepared? How can they measure whether their crisis communications are having the intended impact? This is where CARMA\u2019s media monitoring services prove invaluable. With comprehensive, insightful analysis, CARMA helps brands gain a deeper understanding of how they\u2019re being perceived, allowing them to refine their strategies and respond effectively in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This was originally published on PRovoke Media<\/mark><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As PRovoke Media publishes its first quarterly crisis review of 2025, including the fatal American Airlines\/Black Hawk helicopter collision in January, we\u2019ve taken a closer look at other airlines that have faced serious crises over the past 18 months and how their responses to these issues have affected their overall reputation after the events. Reputational issues […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":22365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[84,251],"creator":[],"class_list":["post-22364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-commentary","tag-pr-industry-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBrace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now - CARMA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CARMA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CARMAGlobal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-12T07:27:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-12T07:27:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"885\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"430\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Puneet Sharma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@CARMA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CARMA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Escrito por\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Puneet Sharma\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Tiempo de lectura\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutos\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now - CARMA","description":"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/","og_locale":"es_ES","og_type":"article","og_title":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now","og_description":"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!","og_url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/","og_site_name":"CARMA","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CARMAGlobal\/","article_published_time":"2025-05-12T07:27:32+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-12T07:27:46+00:00","og_image":[{"width":885,"height":430,"url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Puneet Sharma","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now","twitter_description":"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!","twitter_creator":"@CARMA","twitter_site":"@CARMA","twitter_misc":{"Escrito por":"Puneet Sharma","Tiempo de lectura":"7 minutos"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/"},"author":{"name":"Puneet Sharma","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#\/schema\/person\/d9308d8a2da3357eedaaa554e319a674"},"headline":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now","datePublished":"2025-05-12T07:27:32+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-12T07:27:46+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/"},"wordCount":1492,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png","keywords":["Commentary","PR Industry News"],"articleSection":["Uncategorized"],"inLanguage":"es","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/","url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/","name":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now - CARMA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png","datePublished":"2025-05-12T07:27:32+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-12T07:27:46+00:00","description":"Charlie Harrison, marketing insight analyst at CARMA, looks at how airlines have handled a spate of crises over the past 18 months. Read more!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"es","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Charlie-Blog-Old-Website.png","width":885,"height":430},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/how-airlines-are-managing-crises-now\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Brace Position: How Airlines Are Managing Crises Now"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#website","url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/","name":"CARMA","description":"Delivering What Matters","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#organization","name":"CARMA International Inc","url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CARMA-Logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/carma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CARMA-Logo.svg","width":305.23,"height":313.36,"caption":"CARMA International Inc"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CARMAGlobal\/","https:\/\/x.com\/CARMA","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carmaglobal\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/carma"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/#\/schema\/person\/d9308d8a2da3357eedaaa554e319a674","name":"Puneet Sharma","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32fe235e639840b91e43ba1712d95201a37faf74f8b7d55f1cebfab1fc131338?s=full&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32fe235e639840b91e43ba1712d95201a37faf74f8b7d55f1cebfab1fc131338?s=full&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32fe235e639840b91e43ba1712d95201a37faf74f8b7d55f1cebfab1fc131338?s=full&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Puneet Sharma"}}]}},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22364\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22364"},{"taxonomy":"creator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carma.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/creator?post=22364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}