Crisis Communications—The Test

Crisis communications had often been a case study in college. Most of my classmates did the usual cases, and in fact, by graduation, some of them became ad nauseam—Tylenol tampering in the 80s, syringes in Pepsi cans in the 90s, fingers in Wendy’s chili in the millennium decade.

I remember being bored by these textbook examples and trying to think outside the box, including one crisis-com study I did regarding Southwest Airlines. It was right after the previously fatal-accident-free carrier experienced its first wreck causing a death when a B737 skidded off a snowy runway at Chicago Midway.

Perhaps in retrospect it was preparing me for what occurred this week. US Airways was rocked last Saturday with reports that flight attendant Nick Aaronson was murdered while on layover in Mexico City. When I first saw the news reports, I knew my week was going to be hijacked like a jumbo jet. Since I work in internal communications, primarily to the flight attendants, this was going to be the real deal, no more case studies. The department manager was also on vacation for the first part of the week, meaning myself and fellow communications specialists were flying solo.

Granted, a 12+ hour workday on Wednesday was a little hectic, but what a sense of pride and accomplishment as we joined planeside with several hundred flight attendants while the casket was loaded for Nick’s final flight. The emotions were raw, but what a sense of dignity conveyed. While commercial aviation has become a cattle-car industry, what pride, professionalism, and unity our InFlight staff demonstrated as they gathered to remember a fallen colleague.

And how has this affected me? In a public relations/journalism environment, one needs to take a bit of an objective, detached view at times. Some coworkers expected me to be distressed over this. While saddened at this preventable tragedy, the fact is our lives are made up of choices. When Nick signed the paper—permitting the man who eventually killed him into the ultra-secure Hilton Reforma—he ultimately signed his death certificate. He took his life for granted and made a poor decision. I personally cannot let myself become too attached; you gotta have a little ice in your veins at times.

Speaking of journalism, aside from one little glitch (ABC15 Phoenix stated US Airways didn’t do anything to organize the remembrance ceremony—blatantly wrong), the media coverage of US has been positive. The crew hotel’s security wasn’t breached. And perhaps the most validating report of all: a letter from the victim’s brother to US Airways employees thanking each of us for the remarkable show of support. If this were just another case study, I’d say we earned a grade of “A”.

P.S. - I can be seen in the video at top. Those who know me, see if you can find me...

Just Doing my Duty...

Highest Duty is the true-life chronicles of US Airways-captain-cum-national-hero Chesley Sullenberger (hereto “Sully”). Nearly one year ago, many remember watching the news as yet another commercial aircraft was reported down over Manhattan. Was it a repeat of 9/11? Could it be another incident like American Airlines flight 587, an Airbus A300 that crashed into a Queens neighborhood nearly two months to the day after 9/11?

Unlike those other fated aircraft, US Airways 1549 was down in the Hudson River. Media outlets divulging the breaking story were quick to report that it wasn’t believed to be an act of terrorism—a question haunting most minds in a post-9/11 world. In fact it was discovered that flight 1549 had hit a large flock of birds shortly after take off from New York’s LaGuardia airport and had its engines rendered useless. Captain Sully was hailed as a hero and public figure after the water ditching and successful rescue of all 155 aboard the Airbus A320.

As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up an “airline brat” and in fact US Airways is the major carrier that runs so deeply in my family’s resumes. In addition to mom and dad working for US, an uncle was also a pilot for the company until retiring near 10 years ago. So Sully’s book was naturally of particular interest to me. Consider this: the A320 that was lost on January 15, 2009 quite possibly could have transported myself or one of my family members. Being an east-coast duty aircraft, chances are my dad worked in the cargo bins of that very craft and my mom probably deplaned and boarded passengers from its cabin.

When asked for his take on the successful ditching, my uncle replied, “We all would like to think we could’ve landed one like that…” Uncle Gordon actually flew 757s and 767s—larger aircraft than the A320. He was based in Pittsburgh, where Sully also had a base. Asked if the two knew each other, he replied, “I believe we spoke on the phone once—Sully was a big union guy—but I don’t think we actually ever met.” He had worked closely with at least one member of flight 1549’s crew.

Ok, so enough about my family ties to US Airways. How was the book? At times a bit hokey, Highest Duty is the story of a man who developed a passion for flying practically out of the womb and grew to have an impressive aviation career in the U.S. Air Force and then commercially. Sully often reflects not just on his career milestones, but on his family as well, and how that has made him into the kindly picture of an Americana hero that media have portrayed him to be.

Everybody has a story, but Sully’s is definitely a captivating one, especially as he reveals the behind-the-cockpit-door details of January 15, 2009. He also talks about some of the nuances and challenges of the aviation industry today—things that hit close to home as I remember my parents and uncle addressing the very same subjects.

Sometimes I wonder why the media made Sully out to be such a hero. A good pilot is trained in emergency maneuvers, including using the water as a favorable emergency ditching place. Sully did his job, and did it well that day. But some of the nostalgia of calling him “a hero when America needed one most” struck me as just a little hokey. Sully sums it up by saying his story gave people hope at a time when the economy and nation were longing for some positive news to cling to. Yes it was a happy ending, but again, this strikes me as hokey.

Lorrie Sullenberger summed up her husband’s efforts best saying, “…he loves the art of the airplane…” That quote personified Sully’s personality, serious-minded career dedication, and ultimately his level-headed decision making capabilities.  It’s a whole lot better than the “Miracle on the Hudson” nonsense our NY Governor David Patterson spewed and the media ran with.

So overall, Highest Duty makes for some intriguing reading about a fellow American who worked hard, established a successful career and family life, and ultimately became a public figure/hero through a courageous act. It’s an easy, enjoyable read that sheds light on the challenging life of those employed in the aviation industry.  I would highly recommend.

About the Photos:  The top picture is sunrise over Uptown Charlotte from Concourse D at Douglas Intl. Airport.  I was on my way home from Lynchburg for Thanksgiving.  I ended up bumped from my flight to Buffalo and in LaGuardia, but that's another story.  I thought this ironic, since flight 1549's route was LGA to CLT.

The bottom photo is of an Airbus similar to the one Sully piloted.  It was on the gate and was overlaid on a background of a reservoir near Charlotte, NC.