Five vital comms lessons from the tragedy of flight 5342
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom was front and centre of the initial press conferences. Crisis trainers are already using his performance as an example of how to respond.
The grim news on 29 January that a mid-air collision between an American Airlines aircraft and a military helicopter set in train a familiar rhythm of news reports and slew of actions by the US authorities and the airline.
Soon, it would become clear that 67 people had lost their lives as flight 5342 was close to landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Air travel is extremely safe: this is the first crash involving a commercial passenger flight in the US since 2009.
When an incident of this severity occurs it’s useful as comms professionals to consider whether we can learn any lessons for our professional practice.
1. Victims first
The impact and scale of such a tragic event on the loved ones of those who perish can be hard to comprehend, even for those who work at mass fatality events.
The emotional and mental trauma does not heal: at best, it becomes less visible. Your primary duty in such an event is to put the loved ones at the centre of everything you do and say.
My former boss, Robert Jensen, was the owner and CEO at Kenyon International Emergency Services, the world’s longest serving commercial responder to airline incidents, terrorism and natural disaster. He puts it this way: “We can’t make things better for the loved ones.
We must make sure that nothing we do or say makes it worse”.
American Airlines' CEO Robert Isom focussed on the victims and the loved ones from the start. Mr Isom was empathetic but in control. There is no place for emoting in these moments. You are not the one who has suffered a grievous loss.
2. Social media
You must ensure your words reach a wide audience. Many international airlines use Facebook as their primary communications tool, backed up by their website.
In a major incident, a huge influx in traffic may bring the website down, but Facebook remains available, ensuring loved ones and customers can constantly see what the carrier is saying and doing.
Incidentally, the airline’s social media team will have had clear procedures to cancel all planned posts and promotions and heighten the approval process for new posts to avoid unintentional and damaging lapses in taste.
Remember, the loved ones and your customers are receiving information from outlets across the media spectrum, not just traditional media sources.
3. Take responsibility.
The flight was operated for American by contractor PSA Airlines. This arrangement is common and is sometimes used as a more efficient way of operating small regional jet services.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom did not attempt to evade accountability. While he confirmed the flight was operated by PSA, Mr Isom was front and centre at the initial press conferences. This gave the public confidence in his leadership.
He was visible rapidly on social and in the press conference and he explained what the airline was doing in response to the incident.
It’s impossible to underestimate the impact hearing that an aircraft carrying your loved one is down.
4. The hunger for information
The families want information. In the early hours facts are in very short supply but you have to tell them as much as you can.
In particular, tell them what you are doing and what you are going to do to support them. It is all about doing the right thing.
The public recognises that you don’t have all the information, but they need to see you are being as open as you can be.
5. Have a plan and rehearse it.
If your crisis plan is unrehearsed, watching your team hurriedly read through the plan to find out what they are meant to be doing is, at best, unattractive. An unrehearsed plan has little value. American showed that they were ready.
In practice, airlines don’t need regulation to make them do this. It’s something they take very seriously indeed.
They never forget that their future reputation depends on it. And, in my experience, they do it because CEOs care deeply about harm to people on their watch.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom’s performance is already being used by crisis trainers as an example of how to do it right.
By the way, and I speak as champion-in chief of the necktie, forget the silly criticism on social media of how he was dressed. The world has moved on.
Finally, American Airlines knows from bitter previous experience that the crew of a downed flight become victims.
The crew’s loved ones are grieving. The bodies of the crew were returned to each home airport on American with ceremony and great dignity.
It sent a powerful message to their loved ones and to the entire American Airlines family.
Maya Angelou put it powerfully: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said; people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
CIPR Fellow Donald Steel has a global crisis communications practice. He was until recently vice president of crisis communications at Kenyon International Emergency Services, which supports clients to prepare for and respond to major incidents.