Crisis Communications

in Aviation

Assessment No 1
TH7DL03O – Crisis Management and Business
Resilience
21581930 - Pierre-Olivier de Brogniez
MSc Air Transport Operations and
Management 2022
University of West London
Word Count: 2109

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1. Introduction
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and Germanwings Flight 9525 are two of the most significant
aviation disasters in recent history.
On March 8, 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared from radar screens en route
from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers and crew. Despite a massive search
effort organized by different parties, the fate of the aircraft and its occupants remains a mystery.
The incident was described as one of the greatest aviation mysteries in history, highlighting
the need for better tracking and communication systems for airliners.
On March 24, 2015, an Airbus A320 of Germanwings crashed into the French Alps, killing all
150 people on board. The cause of the crash was later determined to be a deliberate action
by the First Officer, Andreas Lubitz, who had a history of mental illness. The tragedy stunned
the world and raised questions about aviation safety and security protocols.
These two crises were significant not only for the loss of life and the impact on the families and
communities of the victims but also for how they challenged the aviation industry and the way
in which crisis management was carried out. Both accidents presented unique challenges
regarding crisis communications and how information was shared and managed during the
response and recovery phases.
2. Crisis Management
The absence of an agreement on a homogenous definition of crisis has not prevented its
analysis and the furtherance of the crisis management (Billings, 1980). Therefore, different
models tried to define crisis management strategy. Coombs described crisis management as
the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling situations that could harm an
organization, its stakeholders, or the public. His Situational Crisis Communication Theory
(SCCT) is an evidence-based strategy model emphasizing the importance of proactively
preparing for and effectively responding to crises to minimize harm and damage to the
organization's reputation and image.

SCCT Management Guidelines (Combs, 2007)

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Coombs outlined a three-step crisis management model: pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis
(Coombs W. T., 2023). He also emphasized the importance of crisis communication in crisis
management, stating that effective communication is essential for managing the flow of
information during a crisis and influencing stakeholders' perceptions and attitudes toward the
organization (Coombs W. T., 2014). According to Pursiainen (The Crisis Management Cycle,
2017), these three stages can be broken down into sub-categories: reduction and readiness
for the pre-crisis stage, response for the crisis stage, and recovery for the post-crisis stage.

Three stages of crisis management (Coombs W. T., 2014; Pan, 2016)

2.1 The Malaysia Airlines MH370 case

The pre-crisis

• The reduction and readiness stage: due to the lack of information available, it is difficult
to analyse the risk management department of Malaysia Airlines (MAS). However, its
primary role is to identify, assess, and prioritize potential risks and implement strategies
to minimize their impact. This stage typically involves a risk assessment, including an
analysis of the likelihood and potential consequences of inherent risks of air transport
operations and developing of plans to mitigate these. According to Mohamad Bin Mohd
Zain, chairman of the Malaysian association of risk and insurance management, “as a
national carrier with an international footprint, Malaysia Airlines would undoubtedly
have a reasonable risk-minimisation plan in place to manage reputation risk” (Mooney,
2014). However, an interview in StrategicRISK with Badrul Hisham Yusoff, the current
chief risk officer, indicates, among others, previous deficiencies in their risk
management strategy by reducing staff and lack of automation processes
(StrategicRISK, 2018). In terms of communication, MAS is connected with its
customers through different channels, including social media, allowing them to ask
questions and get replies from the company or other users. This method of
communication allows the organization to quickly identify and address any potential
problems before they escalate (Adebayo, 2017).

The crisis

• The response stage: the initial response plan highlights some key points in the crisis
response. Be quick, be accurate, and be consistent (Coombs W. T., 2023). During the
early stage, MAS failed to follow the SCCT guidelines by informing the public via Twitter
only five hours after the aircraft lost connection with Subang ATC. However, MAS

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continued to provide regular updates during the first week mainly through press
conferences regarding the missing plane. This early inaction magnified the detrimental
effect on the company due to ongoing speculations. The four primary decision points
of the crisis management model described by Comfort (2007) show in this matter a lack
of cognition and communication from the initial designated spoke person, the Group
Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. Despite his accurate statement and
compassion towards the victims’ families, the challenges faced in coordinating the
search and rescue efforts were undermined by conflicting statements from the
authorities leading to further confusion. This led to damaging the brand due to losing
the trust and confidence of the parties involved. The limited progress in the search
efforts made it difficult to provide information, which accelerated further criticism and
increased pressure on the Malaysian authorities to provide new evidence. The chosen
approach to crisis management was rather reactive, and as a primary Crisis Response
Strategy, the diminish strategy was chosen to control the situation. Hereof, MAS
followed the SSCT recommendations by undermining the company’s responsibility to
deliberately cause harm to the passengers and the crew (Othman, 2020) in an attempt
to downplay its role in the response phase by not bearing the crisis responsibility and
reassuring its stakeholders.
The post-crisis

• The recovery stage: Rehabilitation and resurgence are two critical stages in the post-
crisis, as analysed through the lens of the SCCT. The rehabilitation phase involved
repairing damage to the organization's image and reputation. MAS and the Malaysian
government took several steps to support the families of the victims, provide financial
compensation, and address any concerns raised by the public.
Implementing changes aimed at improving safety and security measures
The resurgence phase involves restoring the organization to its pre-crisis level of
functioning and reputation. The ultimate goal of the resurgence phase is to rebuild
trust and regain the confidence of stakeholders. To achieve this, MAS continued to
operate and implement changes aimed at improving its operations and reputation by
implementing new technologies and processes to enhance safety and security
(StrategicRISK, 2018).

2.2 The Germanwings 4U9525 case

On the day of the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash in the French Alps, the Chief Executive
Officer of Lufthansa and the head of Germanwings had to quickly issue a statement to clarify
the crisis and address the families of the victims. It was important for them to maintain
communication levels with their stakeholders and respond quickly in a transparent and
frequent manner. According to Hermann (1963), a crisis is characterized by surprise, threat,
and short response time. It is crucial for public relations to act quickly and responsibly during
a crisis to meet the expectations of stakeholders and public opinion. Germanwings used
various communication strategies during the crisis to maintain its reputation and financial
losses. The German authorities were quick to establish a clear and transparent communication
network by acknowledging the accident and providing an apology to the victims’ families. The
Lufthansa Group took steps to mitigate the impact of the crisis by offering compensation to the
loved ones of passengers on flight 9525. This action can be characterized as a compensation-
based crisis response approach.
The post-crisis phase also saw continued effective crisis communications, with the French and
German authorities providing support and assistance to the families of the passengers, as well

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as conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. The clear and consistent
communication throughout the crisis helped to minimize negative media attention and
reputation damage, and ensured that the incident was handled in a professional and
compassionate manner. The crash was a significant reputation crisis for Germanwings and
Lufthansa, as the parent company. According to the SCCT, organizations with high perceived
responsibility for a crisis should employ crisis response strategies that show a high level of
responsibility acceptance. The recommended response for rebuilding reputation is the rebuild
strategy, which includes compensation or apology to improve the organization's image. An
organization may also use secondary bolstering strategies such as reminders, ingratiation, and
victimage (Combs, 2007).
Overall, the Germanwings Flight 9525 incident highlights the importance of effective and timely
crisis communications in ensuring the well-being and support of affected parties, as well as
maintaining trust and credibility with the public and stakeholders.
In the case of the Germanwings Flight 9525 and Malaysian MH370 crises, crisis
communications played a crucial role in both the active crisis phase and the post-crisis
phase.
During the active crisis phase of the Germanwings Flight 9525, crisis communications were
relatively effective compared to the Malaysian MH370 crisis. The Germanwings crisis
response was swift, transparent, and consistent. The company and authorities quickly
established a crisis communication center and designated a single point of contact for all
media inquiries. The crisis communication team was responsible for providing regular
updates on the situation, as well as offering support to families of the victims. In this way, the
crisis communication plan for Germanwings Flight 9525 was well-coordinated, helping to limit
the spread of misinformation and to maintain the trust of stakeholders.
In contrast, the Malaysian MH370 crisis was plagued by a lack of clear, consistent, and
accurate information. The crisis communication response was slow, with conflicting reports
from various sources making it difficult for families and the public to understand what was
happening. The crisis communication plan was not well-coordinated, and this lack of
coordination led to a breakdown in trust between stakeholders and authorities. The initial
search and rescue efforts were also poorly communicated, further complicating the situation.
In the post-crisis phase, both crises had different impacts on their respective organizations.
For Germanwings, the crisis was a major blow to the company's reputation and led to a
decline in public trust. However, the company was able to take responsibility for the disaster
and to support the families of the victims, which helped to mitigate the damage to its
reputation. On the other hand, the Malaysian MH370 crisis had a far greater impact on the
reputation of Malaysian Airlines and the Malaysian government, leading to a decline in public
trust and significant negative impact on the company's brand.
3. Insights and recommendations
In order to better impact business resilience through crisis communications, organizations
should focus on the following recommendations:

• Develop a comprehensive crisis communication plan: Having a well-structured crisis

communication plan in place can help organizations respond to a crisis in a timely and
effective manner. The plan should include strategies for both internal and external
communications, and identify key stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Train staff on crisis communications: Regular training and drills can help staff
understand their role in crisis communication and prepare them for potential crises.

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Crisis Communications in Aviation 5

• Build relationships with stakeholders: Building strong relationships with stakeholders,

including the media, regulatory agencies, and customers, can help organizations
respond more effectively in a crisis.
• Use technology and social media effectively: social media and other technologies can
be powerful tools in crisis communication, but must be used strategically. Organizations
should have a clear understanding of how they will use technology during a crisis and
have plans in place to manage these channels.
• Foster transparency: Being transparent and open during a crisis can help build trust
with stakeholders and minimize negative impacts to the organization's reputation.
• Continuously evaluate and improve: Organizations should regularly evaluate their crisis
communication plans and processes to identify areas for improvement and ensure that
they are prepared for future crises.
• Maintain flexibility: Finally, it's important for organizations to be flexible and adaptive in
their crisis communication plans. Crises can be unpredictable and organizations should
be prepared to modify their plans as needed to respond effectively.

4. Summary
Crisis communications play a crucial role in crisis management and building business
resilience. The communication strategies employed during the Germanwings Flight 9525 and
the Malaysian MH370 crises had significant impacts on the direction and outcome of the crisis.
In the case of Germanwings Flight 9525, the crisis communications were more effective than
in the Malaysian MH370 crisis. During the active phase of the Germanwings crisis, clear and
concise messaging, proactive and transparent communications, and effective media
management helped to mitigate the negative impacts of the crisis. On the other hand, in the
Malaysian MH370 crisis, the lack of clear and consistent messaging, mismanagement of media
communications, and poor stakeholder relations led to negative outcomes, including
reputational damage.
In conclusion, it is important for organizations to prioritize effective crisis communications and
have clear communication plans in place. This includes clear and consistent messaging,
proactive and transparent communications, effective media management, and strong
stakeholder relations. Organizations should also continuously review and improve their crisis
communication strategies to ensure business resilience in the face of future crises.

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References
Adebayo, O. (2017). The application of Facebook to crisis communication management: a case study
of Malaysia airlines. Salford Business School, UK.

Billings, R. S. (1980). A Model of Crisis Perception: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis.

Administrative Science Quarterly, 25(2), 300-316. doi:10.2307/2392456

Combs, W. T. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: The development and
application of situational crisis communication theory. Corporate reputation review, 10 No. 3,
163-176.

Comfort, L. K. (2007, December). Crisis Management in Hindsight: Cognition, Communication,

Coordination, and Control. Public Administration Review, 67, 5-210.

Coombs, W. T. (2014). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Coombs, W. T. (2023). The Handbook of Crisis Communication. Wiley-Blackwell.

Hermann, C. F. (1963). Some Consequences of Crisis Which Limit the Viability of Organizations.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 8, 61-82.

Mooney, S. (2014, March 21). What the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 case reveals about poor
crisis management. Retrieved from GLOBAL [RE]INSURANCE:
https://www.globalreinsurance.com/what-the-missing-malaysia-airlines-mh370-case-
reveals-about-poor-crisis-management/1407586.article

Othman, A. F. (2020, March 28). Crisis Communication Management Strategies in MH370 Crisis with
Special References to Situational Crisis. International Journal of Academic Research in
Business and Social Sciences, 10 No. 4, 172-182.

Pan, P.-L. &. (2016). Media Frames across Stages of Health Crisis: A Crisis Management Approach to
News Coverage of Flu Pandemic. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 24 No. 2,
95-106.

Pursiainen, C. (2017). The Crisis Management Cycle. Routledge.

StrategicRISK. (2018, May 29). Three challenges for Malaysia Airlines’ risk manager. Retrieved from
StrategicRISK: https://www.strategic-risk-europe.com/three-challenges-for-malaysia-airlines-
risk-manager/1427260.article

P.O. de Brogniez 6 Feb. 2023 MSc ATOM