Leah Pfannenstiel

MW 4:00-5:15
15 November 2017

Vulnerability Audit for Delta Air Lines

Potential Crisis Probability Magnitude Total Impact

Technological Malfunction 8 8 64
Natural Disaster 5 8 40
Human Error 6 5 30
Corporate Leader 3 9 21
DUI/Arrest
Corporate Espionage 2 8 16
Workplace Violence 2 8 16
Fire 3 5 15
Security Failure 2 7 14
CEO Death 2 6 12
Hazardous Material Spill 2 6 12
Terrorism 1 10 10
Airplane Crash (from 1 10 10
nearby runway)
Insider Expose 1 9 9
Suicide Attempt 1 6 6
 Impact for Potential Crises
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Potential Crisis

The airline industry is no stranger to crises. Since it was founded in 1924 Delta Air Lines

has endured numerous crises both big and small. As I completed the vulnerability audit, it was

interesting to visually comprehend what the G.O. or “General Offices” in Atlanta should focus

on when it comes to preparing and planning for a crisis. In conclusion, the G.O.’s highest threats

come from technological malfunctions, natural disasters, and human error. All three factors have

caused crises in the past. For example, in January the G.O. lost power thus leading to computer

outages. Although the computers were out for just five hours, it took the company over a week to

compensate and get back on track - not to mention the $150 million lost because of the outage.

This was the second IT issue in just 6 months that Delta faced. At my internship this past

summer, my co-workers were constantly referring to Delta’s IT issues and the January IROP or

“irregular operation.” Due to the malfunction, over 300 flights were delayed and cancelled,

consequently directly affecting Delta’s other major hubs throughout the country as well.

The second potential crises for the G.O. are natural disasters. Located in Atlanta, Delta’s

headquarters can be prone to hurricanes, tornados, flooding, and earthquakes. Given the short
notice and unpredictability of these occurrences, Delta needs to have a proper crisis

communication plan. These crises are unswervingly linked to flight cancellations, delays, and

excess danger for planes due to the weather conditions. Natural disasters could not only cause

destruction to the buildings on campus but additional IT issues as mentioned previously with the

power outage.

Last, although broad in spectrum, human error is the third most likely crises to occur for

Delta’s G.O. The most common category of human error comes from the TechOps department.

These employees are in charge of aircraft maintenance and engineering. For example, it only

takes one employee leaving a wrench in an engine for a tremendous crises, posing safety hazards

for crew and passengers on board. Other common human errors at the G.O. stem from the

Revenue Management or Marketing departments. There have been many instances when an

employee typed in the wrong sale amount for a plane ticket, causing a loss in a significant

amount of money. Even a simple miscalculation could result in a temporary crisis.

Other crises to prepare for include workplace violence, hazardous waste leaks, and

corporate leadership arrest which was a crisis for US Airways in 20017. CEO Doug Parker was

charged with a DUI, and the media smothered the case. It was an enormous embarrassment for

not only leadership from the airline but employees and frequent flyers as well. Considering

Delta’s corporate leaders including CEO Ed Bastian are located at the G.O., this is something

that requires a communication plan. The plan should consist of concerns such as how employees

will respond to the media and public as well as how other Delta leaders should respond and

ensure the action would not be repeated.

In my opinion, the Delta community has proven its ability to bounce back from crises

fairly quickly in comparison to its competitors. Corporate leadership sets an excellent example
and embodies the culture or “the Delta way” for all employees through thick and thin. In 2005,

Delta announced bankruptcy which served as the company’s largest crisis to date. Delta prides

itself in this, however, as employees say that Delta used bankruptcy to remodel into a bigger,

better, and stronger company than it ever was before. Leaders at the G.O. took positive actions

making smarter decisions regarding cutting costs and evaluating airplane routes to maximize

profit. Additionally, to this day employees at the G.O. practice crisis drills every three months to

ensure employee confidence upon a crisis. As we discussed in class, there are seven sins during a

crisis, and these drills aid in avoiding those. Only time will tell the future crises Delta will

endure, but one thing is for sure – they are inevitable and employees must be prepared.