Flydubai Company Response to the Crash of Flight FZ98

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Table of Contents

The Crisis
The Overall Communications Response
The Online Crisis Communications Strategy
Conclusion
Works Cited

The Crisis

It is imperative to note that the crash of flight FZ981 is one of the most worrying incidents of 2016. It can be viewed as a crisis for Flydubai because its reputation has been challenged and it needed to recover the previous level of trust. The event was hard to predict, and the issue is that many internal and external stakeholders are affected. Circumstances of the incident were especially problematic in this case, and it has led to many controversies. The plane has crashed on the territory of Russia, and he situation in the country is quite unstable because of numerous conflicts and disagreements.

Moreover, 44 of the passengers were Russians, and it complicates the situation (Wood par. 6). Another aspect that should not be overlooked is that fire also occurred, and it could have led to severe consequences. However, the problem was resolved rather quickly. Therefore, some people have looked at it as an act of terrorism, and some believed that the behavior of the pilots was unusual. Flydubai had to examine the situation and available pieces of evidence before making any statements.

Another aspect that should be taken into account is that the sector could also be affected because individuals may think that the region is not safe and flights are dangerous. Tourism is a vital industry for UAE, and it could be very problematic if the number of tickets purchased would reduce. Therefore, Flydubai had a set of responsibilities because the damage could be long-lasting. The fact that none of the people that were on the board have survived also needs to be highlighted, and it is an enormous tragedy. Also, the plane that was used is viewed as one of the safest, and it is widely used all over the globe. It is possible to state that the incident is also problematic for the manufacturer.

This year had a small number of crashes because of increased safety measures (Fedorinova and Kamel par. 20). Therefore, some individuals have started to look at the company as unreliable and considered other options when planning vacations. Moreover, possible requests to return tickets could lead to flight cancellations, and the business could be hurt in the long-term. It would be hard to recover the trust in the company if it did not take an appropriate course of actions. The problem is that the cause of the catastrophe is still being investigated, and there is no consensus on this subject matter. The role of social responsibility has been increasing, and a corporation should be ready to deal with possible challenges. The damage to the company is enormous because it is a first incident that had fatalities.

The Overall Communications Response

One of the most important principles that should be acknowledged is that a company has a set of policies related to crisis communication. It is quite important because each employee understands his or her responsibilities and acts according to particular guidelines. It is evident that the approach utilized by the enterprise was efficient because there was no panic in the organization, and common mistakes were avoided. The second principle that needs to be analyzed is stating the facts. Flydubai has recognized that it is vital and tried to ensure that only valid information is used when communicating with the public. Moreover, it is unreasonable to hide some of the aspects, because the situation may worsen if it is found out that the company lied.

Another principle that was considered by the firm is taking responsibility. Public relations team of Flydubai understood that it is important to address the consequences of the incident. It can be seen that many corporations are willing to compensate the damage even when they are not entirely at fault, and it may be regarded a reasonable approach. It is imperative for organizations that operate in this sector because customers are worried about their health and well-being, and it is necessary to establish valuable long-term relationships.

The situation becomes quite problematic when terrorist attacks are involved, but enterprises are aware of such risks and should understand that support should be provided regardless. Also, all the actions that are taken should be communicated to ensure that the image of the firm is not affected. Also, it shows that an organization is prepared for emergencies, and knows how to resolve issues promptly. One of the core factors that should be highlighted is that such approaches are not only aimed at the target market but also other citizens because opinions of the population are of utmost importance.

A particular spokesperson also should be assigned, and Flydubai managed to handle the situation rather well. A chief executive of the firm has provided many responses on this subject matter, and his speeches are also quite comprehensive. The company was determined to provide help and support to close ones from the very start even when the cause of the crash was not clear. Leadership is critical in such situations, and the CEO took control of all the activities and was supported by the management team.

Another aspect that should be taken into account is that companies are expected to increase the level of safety of their operations to make sure that incidents do not happen in the future. However, it was not required in this situation because the airlines are viewed as incredibly safe. Moreover, a spokesperson has mentioned that the incident could not have happened due to fatigue because pilots that did not get sufficient sleep are suggested to make reports, and are not allowed to fly (“Flydubai Says Vigilant on Crew Safety and Welfare” par. 10). It was necessary to disclose such information to maintain the image of the company because of the rumors about exhausting schedules. It is quite a common problem that occurs because newspapers and other forms of mass media are trying to create sensational headlines to attract customers. Therefore, a particular team should keep track of latest news to address such claims.

The Online Crisis Communications Strategy

Online PR

The way the company utilized online public relations tools also should be mentioned. The decision not to use a Twitter account is interesting, and it could be explained by the fact that the enterprise was worried about comments and retweets that could hurt members of the families. The platform is not safe in that aspect, and it is nearly impossible to avoid negativity. Therefore, this approach is quite efficient because Flydubai has avoided possible risks and a link to a Facebook page is provided. One of the most interesting aspects that should not be overlooked is that the enterprise did not promote other activities and only posted information related to the crash.

The first update could have been a little better structured, but it is evident that the company did not want to cause panic until sufficient information regarding the incident is available. The updates provided are vital because the enterprise communicates its intentions and activities that are planned. Moreover, they ensured that Russian translations of the posts are also available because they have recognized that it is a tremendous tragedy for the people, and they would like to be aware of the latest news.

It is necessary to note that particular graphics have been developed. They could have been designed a little better, but a minimalistic approach is also reasonable in this situation. It is paramount to mention that one of the dangers of this method is that any individual may post comments. It would be incredibly problematic if members of the families see derogatory terms and are abused. Therefore, it is necessary to devote enormous attention to the moderation of comments because some of them may be quite problematic.

The enterprise has also launched a website that allows users to post messages to commemorate victims of the tragedy. It is well-developed and analyzes the posts that were made with a use of popular social media platforms such as Instagram, and include a particular hashtag, and they appear on the page. The fact that the content is monitored is quite important because a safe space for individuals that have suffered is provided. It is possible to switch between three languages, but the messages shown are mostly in English and Russian. However, it is understandable that all the messages cannot be checked, and the company clarifies that it is not responsible for the ones that may be offensive.

Moreover, the website is still active and regularly updated. It can be viewed as an innovative move from the perspective of PR because other companies in this sector have never done anything similar. The link to the latest news regarding the crash that appears at the top of a primary website is fascinating. Many companies would prefer to put it in the place that is not as visible not to remind customers about dangers of flights. It is likely that it will be removed in the future, but the enterprise is determined to be as transparent as possible.

Moreover, many individuals have voiced their opinion that they still trust the company. Some of the clients were quite nervous, but they believed that the firm would take additional safety measures, and affordability is one of its biggest competitive advantages (Badam par. 4). Overall, it is possible to state that Flydubai has shown an outstanding use of online PR tools, but platforms that are less popular could also be used because they have enormous potential that is not yet fully utilized. Also, such activities do not require a lot of resources, and it would indicate that the enterprise is ahead of its competitors and uses all available tools of communication.

Targeted Publics

Messages and content were primarily aimed at the general public because the interest in the incident was enormous. Therefore, it was reasonable to ensure that the image of the corporation is not damaged. Such activities were targeted at both English-speaking and Russian-speaking audiences. Citizens of the UAE were also informed about the whole situation because their opinion is of utmost importance. Individuals that prefer affordable airlines were worried about the incident, and it was necessary to provide them with data regarding safety measures that are taken. It was also important to consider the needs of people affected to make sure that they do not have complaints. The information on the Internet spreads at rapid rates, and comments about unpleasant experience could hurt the image of the firm.

Messages and Senders

A video statement by the CEO should be discussed, and it signifies that the enterprise is willing to devote enormous amounts of resources in activities that would help to maintain the image of the company. It is not clear who was the author of some of the messages, but they were approved by the authority. They are well-developed, and the authors tried to ensure that users are aware that the organization is truly sorry for the incident that has happened, and relatives are provided with financial support and compensations. Ethical aspects were also considered, and they tried to avoid any comments related to religious practices to minimize possible risks.

Concepts

The company tried to ensure that its activities related to the incident are as transparent as possible, and every single step is discussed. It is necessary to understand that it is quite useful in this case because it helps to increase the level of trust, and the public is aware of the fact that the organization has nothing to hide and is willing to make all the data regarding its operations and activities accessible. The concept of porosity also needs to be highlighted, and Flydubai utilizes it by providing all the information regarding flights, maintenance, and other aspects of their operations. Also, contact information is publically available, and one should not doubt that the firm has supported the families and close ones.

This approach is appropriate because some customers are quite interested in such processes. Also, many believe that an organization may be trusted if it is willing to disclose such data. The concept of richness in content may also be applied to this situation, and the messages provided were quite comprehensive, and unnecessary information was excluded. Posts on Facebook were rather brief, and the company did not mention the details that would be irrelevant to the general population. Such strategy is quite useful because it helps to keep the attention of users, and to ensure that they are not distracted.

It is not possible to identify if Flydubai has used the services of online agencies or not because it is entirely possible that the firm has employed professionals in this area. However, it would be beneficial to contact one of the organizations that are focused on the Internet and social media because it has become an essential part of PR. The concept of reach helps to get a better understanding of the number of people the enterprise wanted to be exposed to such information. The use of Facebook should be mentioned because the number of its users is truly astounding, and it is an efficient way to deliver required information.

Moreover, the website has the option that would help to translate posts, and it is quite useful. The advantage of this approach is that it may be hard to determine correct figures when it comes to broadcasts because the number of people affected varies depending on programs and timing (Waddington 105). On the other hand, the enterprise does not have to deal with such issues when the Internet is utilized. Flydubai keeps contact with local and international web newspapers to ensure that the information about the support of families and statements of the CEO are spread all over the globe.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is possible to state that the approach utilized by Flydubai in this situation is quite efficient, and the company has managed to avoid severe consequences. The backlash could have been enormous, but it is clear that it was not the fault of the pilots. The enterprise wants to get a better understanding of the cause of the crash to avoid such incidents in the future and take appropriate measures if it is necessary. It is quite evident that online communication tools were crucial in this case, and the enterprise used them to deliver the information directly to individuals that were interested.

The crash was not expected, and the company did not have to deal with similar crises in the past. However, the reaction time and a course of actions that were taken were appropriate. It is noted that the team responsible for emergencies has been utilized within first thirty minutes after the alert, and support offered to affected individuals was sufficient (“Flydubai Reflects on the One-Month Anniversary of FZ981” par. 4). The help to the authorities was also provided, and the company wanted to assist in the whole process to determine the cause of the catastrophe.

On the other hand, it is possible to criticize the communication strategy because several aspects have been overlooked. For instance, it would be reasonable to develop a set of videos in memory of passengers that suffered. The approach would be quite useful because the first videos that are shown on YouTube are reports about the crash when one is looking for information regarding FZ981. Furthermore, the initial reaction of the public was negative, and it could have been prevented. It is understandable that the corporation has to deal with limited amounts of resources, and it is necessary to reduce unnecessary expenses, but it would be appropriate to invest into videos and well-designed pictures because such approaches have proven to be effective.

However, the situation has been handled well, and the company should devote enormous attention to safety and maintenance because any mistakes can be vital at this point. It is paramount to understand that new technologies and approaches are being introduced all the time, and every company should keep track of latest trends to be capable of utilizing them efficiently. The strategy was incredibly effective because the enterprise made sure that clients understand that such incidents are very rare, and the prompt reaction to the situation also signifies that it values its customers.

Overall, it can be viewed as an outstanding example of what communication strategies may be utilized by an enterprise in case of emergency. Also, Flydubai has proven that the focus on the Internet and social media can be beneficial when it comes to public relations because it is incredibly convenient, and the number of people exposed to the information is tremendous.

Works Cited

Badam, Ramola T. “Flydubai Crash Has Not Deterred Public from Using Budget Carriers.” The National. The National, 2016. Web.

Fedorinova, Yulia, and Deena Kamel. 2016, Flydubai Jet Crash Kills 62 in Failed Russia Landing Attempt.

Flydubai Reflects on the One-Month Anniversary of FZ981 2016.

“Flydubai Says Vigilant on Crew Safety and Welfare.” Reuters. 2016. Web.

Waddington, Stephen. Chartered Public Relations: Lessons from Expert Practitioners, Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page Publishers, 2015. Print.

Wood, Vincent. “Plane Horror: All 62 Passengers and Crew Killed as Flydubai Jet Crashes in Southern Russia.” Express. Express, 2016. Web.

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