Social Media Crisis? Take ownership of the issue.

Yup – another airline incident caught on film. This time it was American Airlines flight 591 #AA591. While the incident was deplorable, the good news is  that American Airlines got out in front of the backlash.  They took ownership of the incident and defused any impending actions by the public.  See their almost immediate response.  “We have seen the video and have already started an investigation to obtain the facts. What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident. We are making sure all of her family’s needs are being met while she is in our care. After electing to take another flight, we are taking special care of her and her family and upgrading them to first class for the remainder of their international trip.

The actions of our team member captured here do not appear to reflect patience or empathy, two values necessary for customer care. In short, we are disappointed by these actions. The American team member has been removed from duty while we immediately investigate this incident.”

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