Page 82 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

6
Calamities 63
3

3. Do not speak off the record/do not speculate. Only speak of
what you know and what is confirmed (facts).
4. Know your facts and concentrate on your messages. In this
case some of the messages were: ‘This is a terrible tragedy,
our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their fam-
ilies. We have also lost colleagues and friends on this flight;
it is a time of mourning. We are here in Puerto Vallarta to
assist and attend to the needs of the family members. The
airline is working closely with the authorities to determine
the cause of this accident.’
5. Do not talk or answer questions about actions that are the
responsibility of the investigating authorities. You say you
cannot answer that question since it is for the authorities to
answer.
6. Answer all other questions. If you cannot answer a question,
say you will check and get back to the reporter.
7. Be honest. You are representing the company; you do not
want to be perceived as trying to withhold information.

Some of the information initially distributed was:

Initial statement with facts on the aeroplane, flight number,
number of passengers and crew members, route, etc,
including condolences.
Alaska Airlines company information.
Alaska Airlines safety record.
MD-80 safety record.
As information became available, press releases on the fol-
lowing topics were issued: list of passengers, names of crew
members, formation of a team of volunteers called ‘CARE’
to assist with the grief of victims’ families and the creation of
a foundation to help raise money for them.
The results
A company can spend years building an image and a reputation
and can lose it in seconds in such a crisis. The airline industry is
safer than ever and aeroplane manufacturers and airlines set
safety as their priority, but accidents do occur and can happen
anywhere. It is a great tragedy for an airline and the most
important element in all of this is to be prepared. A company
must have a communication plan in place in case of an acci-
dent, which it can implement the moment it occurs.