Stop the Fear Factory: A Plea from an Expert
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3 min read
Chris Joffe : January 19, 2024
During Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's departure from Portland, Oregon on January 5th, a plane door's plug unexpectedly disconnected as the aircraft climbed to 19,000 feet altitude. This attitude is critical because seconds matter for survival in an emergency; passengers must immediately put on oxygen masks and pilots must swiftly descend. In other words, this was a dangerous, high-stakes situation.
As someone familiar with aviation emergencies, I was fascinated by Alaska Airlines' response. Communication during an emergency can make or break the outcome. It not only informs necessary action but also shapes public perception. While we at Joffe could analyze the specifics of this incident, we are most interested in examining the communication strategies employed throughout the event. The purpose of this blog post is to highlight the effective messaging and potential missteps by Alaska Airlines. We can then apply these lessons to our own emergency communication plans for schools, events, and venues.
11 days after the incident, Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci released a video update. This was their latest move in an ongoing education and transparency campaign across social media and email. The video tackled two key areas of public confusion:
So why was Minicucci's video impressive? He humanized the airline's response. His empathy, humility, and commitment came across as authentic. This built crucial trust at a tense time.
When emergencies strike our schools, events, and venues, genuine leadership communication is key. Like Alaska, we must balance rapid response with care and transparency. Keeping the human element top of mind pays dividends when stakes are high.
Now, let's examine Alaska's communication strategy in greater detail. What principles guided their strategy amidst the Flight 1282 fallout? How can we apply these lessons to crisis communication plans on our campuses and at our events?
Disclaimer:
We are not affiliated with or involved in the emergency response to this incident. The opinions expressed here are based solely on publicly available news reports, some of which are cited while others are more generally referenced. As this situation unfolds, the analysis and perspectives offered may become outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate. This piece was written to highlight strengths and opportunities and is being shared since the incident is outside our direct area of focus and all involved are reported to be alive and safe. However, our perspectives could change significantly as new details emerge.
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