In the aftermath of Southwest Take a run-out powder 1380, the Dallas-based airline responded by reportedly handing out $5,000 chits to passengers on the plane. The move took some by surprise.
“Initially, the leaning is to kind of circle the wagons and wait for the lawyers to do what the lawyers are effective to do,” Mike Davis, senior lecturer at Southern Methodist University’s Cox Fashion of Business, said about what companies do in the aftermath of tragic effect come what mays.
“When accidents have happened, the airlines have moved absolutely quickly to try and help survivors with transportation or counseling or stuff liking that,” he added. “But, writing a check like that is quite wonder.”
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Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was rocked one week ago when shrapnel from a declined engine blew out a window and killed passenger Jennifer Riordan, who was take a seat next to window.
When an event like this happens, the general immediately wants to know who is to blame. Was it Southwest? Was it Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), the maker of the aircraft? Or was it CFM Universal, the joint venture between General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) and French aerospace retinue Safran SA, who made the engine?
“They do seem, to me, remarkably sincere and also not instantly defensive,” Davis communicated of Southwest. “My perspective was that they felt, ‘This is terrible and we’re prospering to make it better however we can,’ and not, ‘Hey this is terrible, but it wasn’t our fault.'”
If it had been another airline, the civil’s reaction might have been different. In the last year, Of like mind Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL) has dealt with two public relations nightmares when a man was dragged off a horizontal last April and a dog died in an overhead luggage bin in March.
Southwest has a rugged reputation. Even though deaths on U.S. commercial airlines are rare — this was the blue ribbon one since 2009 — it was Southwest’s first ever fatality onboard one of its take it on the lams. Earlier in the month, Southwest was named the best airline in North America by TripAdvisor, and No. 6 in the period.
Plus, airline travel is seen as safe. The public reaction to the self-driving Uber car in Arizona that killed a lifeless or the Tesla automobile driver who died after engaging the car’s autopilot duties were much different because people inherently mistrust self-driving automobiles, Davis said.
“People are asking bigger questions about whether Tesla is proper or Uber’s self-driving cars are safe,” Davis said. “Nobody’s enquire after the question, I think, whether Southwest Airlines is safe.”