The recent contentious United Airlines flight 3411, in which a passenger was forcibly removed from the aircraft, caused a social media and public outcry that turned the situation into an epic public relations (PR) disaster. The airline’s disregard for the passenger and improper management of the issue has been heavily blamed for the disaster. The massive public uproar on social media, as a consequence, has severely damaged United Airlines’ brand.
The United Airlines incident started when four United staff members boarded a flight in Chicago to take four seats that customers had previously reserved. The four passengers were ejected from the airplane because the four employees were given precedence over them. One of the passengers resisted getting off the plane. The distressing image of him being forcibly treated by police and pulled off the aircraft rapidly went viral on social media (Ma, 2019).
Due to the scandal, United Airlines was the target of widespread public criticism, which accused the airline of treating the customer unjustly and being biased. Although many customers thought that United Airlines’ replies were insufficient, the company issued remarks addressing the event and expressing regret for the “truly horrific” experience. By providing a full refund of the ticket price plus a $10,000 travel credit, United Airlines attempted to address the problem and repair its image. However, the harm had already been done to both their reputation and the airline industry’s reputation as a whole (Ma, 2019).
Priority should be given to understanding the severity of the incident’s effect on United Airlines’ reputation. The airline first apologized for the event in a statement. However, it then released a video showing the customer being dragged off the aircraft, further angering the public and sparking demands for a boycott of the airline (Ma, 2019). Social media users were eager to voice their complaints, expressing fury over United Airlines’ ineffective handling of the matter and disregard for the rights of its passengers. The unfavorable perception of the corporation was exacerbated by the video shared by thousands of individuals on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. As a result, this affair serves as a textbook illustration of how social media can elevate a poor act to a whole new level, subjecting the corporation to massive public shame and criticism.
As a marketing manager, I suggest a few measures prevent additional embarrassment for the business. First and foremost, I advise the airline to apologize for the situation immediately and more honestly and objectively, emphasizing the hurt and suffering it caused the passenger and its clients. I also want the corporation to publicly pledge to enhance its current policies and practices to stop such situations from happening again. The business should aggressively respond to the challenges and worries of its clients by hosting online town hall meetings, attending to their complaints, and displaying genuine compassion for them. This would assist in demonstrating to the public that the business is sorry and is making amends and enhancing its general level of customer service.
In addition, I would want to draft a thorough, public statement outlining the company’s dedication to providing excellent customer service and expressing regret for the occurrence. This message must be meticulously written, emphasizing United’s vision and values and demonstrating a strong empathy for the afflicted passenger.
I also expect the business to be more proactive. In addition to enhancing employee morale, United should provide consumers with fair remuneration and improved services to all passengers to improve customer satisfaction. The flight should also be audited to guarantee that similar accidents do not happen again.
I would also use social media to interact with customers. Using the power of social media, United should discuss the incident and demonstrate its commitment to better customer service. You are responsible for apologizing to the impacted customers directly and openly, engaging with them on social media, and resolving any concerns they may have (Hearit, 2021). United could also start a customer care blog and establish customer service pages on popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. By doing this, United would demonstrate that they are attentive to and responsive to their client’s requirements. United should also take the initiative to answer consumer questions, participate in customer care forums, and interact with customers on various social media sites. This will strengthen relationships with clients and promote patronage of the business.
Additionally, I recommend using social media listening and monitoring tools to keep tabs on customer service concerns immediately. By doing this, you may prevent instances where clients are left unhappy and ultimately get into a fight. The business might also utilize social media to publish client pleasure stories, enhancing its reputation and fostering a more favorable perception of its services (Hearit, 2021).
In conclusion, the United Airlines event perfectly illustrates the influence of social media and how it can quickly snowball a negative occurrence into a PR catastrophe. As a result, businesses must take action to guarantee that such occurrences are prevented and deal with client complaints quickly. My suggested actions in this issue were more genuine apologies to the traveler and consumers, attentive listening to customer complaints, and practical efforts to enhance systems to prevent such incidents from happening again. Through this, it is hoped that United Airlines will move beyond the recent crisis and improve its reputation.
References
Ma, J., Tse, Y. K., Wang, X., & Zhang, M. (2019). Examining customer perception and behavior through social media research–An empirical study of the United Airlines overbooking crisis. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, pp. 127, 192–205.
Hearit, K. M. (2021). A blame narrative approach to apologetic crisis management: The serial apology of United Airlines. Public Relations Review, 47(5), 102106.
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