In April 2017, United Airlines became the poster child for how corporate PR can go horribly wrong. The airline’s response to an incident involving the violent removal of a passenger from an overbooked flight was not only a textbook example of poor crisis communication but also a catastrophic failure in understanding public sentiment, leading to a dramatic drop in consumer trust. This case remains one of the most studied corporate PR disasters in modern history, with far-reaching consequences for the airline’s brand.
The Incident: A Public Relations Nightmare
On April 9, 2017, Dr. David Dao, a 69-year-old physician, was forcibly removed from United Airlines Flight 3411 after the airline asked for volunteers to give up their seats to make room for crew members. When no one volunteered, United selected passengers for involuntary removal. Dr. Dao, already seated on the plane, refused to leave, and security officers proceeded to drag him down the aisle, causing visible injury and humiliation.
The incident was captured on mobile phones by other passengers, and videos quickly spread across social media. The images of Dr. Dao’s bloodied face, combined with the airline’s heavy-handed response, ignited outrage worldwide. The backlash against United was swift and intense, with hashtags like #BoycottUnited trending on Twitter and media outlets condemning the company’s actions.
The Initial Response: Silence and Mishandling
United’s initial response was shockingly tone-deaf. The airline’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, issued a statement calling the incident “an unfortunate situation” and initially supported the actions of the staff. This response was a critical misstep, as it failed to acknowledge the severity of the situation and the human impact on Dr. Dao. The public, already outraged by the viral footage, was further enraged by the company’s initial failure to take responsibility.
In an attempt to quell the mounting public outcry, Munoz later apologized in a second statement, but by then, the damage had been done. The airline had lost control of the narrative, and its attempts to backtrack only made it appear as if the company was reacting out of self-interest rather than genuinely addressing the wrong done to Dr. Dao.
The PR Failures: Lessons in Crisis Management
The United Airlines PR disaster offers several critical lessons in how corporate PR can go awry, and the consequences of those mistakes.
- Failure to Prioritize Empathy: From the start, United’s response lacked empathy. The initial statement defended the airline’s actions, suggesting that the situation was unfortunate but justified. It wasn’t until much later that the company acknowledged the human element of the story. In crisis communication, empathy should always come first. A statement like, “We deeply regret the distress caused to Dr. Dao and all our passengers, and we’re taking immediate steps to ensure this never happens again” would have been more effective in diffusing anger and showing accountability.
- Poor Timing: United’s delayed apology only served to exacerbate the issue. In the age of social media, where stories can go viral within minutes, companies must act quickly in their responses. Waiting hours or days to address the situation publicly sends the wrong message, implying indifference or avoidance. Immediate acknowledgment, followed by a clear plan for addressing the incident, is vital in restoring consumer trust.
- Lack of Proactive Crisis Management: United did not have a robust crisis communication plan in place. Instead of addressing the incident swiftly and transparently, the airline tried to downplay the situation, which made it seem evasive. A well-prepared crisis management team would have provided media training to executives, prepared statements for various scenarios, and outlined a plan for rectifying the situation.
The Consequences: A Brand in Freefall
The fallout from the incident was immense. In addition to the immediate backlash, United’s stock price took a hit, dropping nearly 4% in the days following the incident. Although the airline eventually settled with Dr. Dao for an undisclosed sum, the company’s brand reputation suffered long-term damage. The incident became emblematic of corporate greed and a lack of customer care, with many travelers vowing never to fly United again.
United’s recovery required a complete overhaul of its approach to customer service and crisis management. Munoz, who was initially hailed as a hero when he took over as CEO in 2015, faced significant scrutiny over his handling of the situation. United’s PR disaster did more than tarnish the company’s image—it forced the airline to confront a much deeper issue: its corporate culture. In the wake of the incident, United took steps to overhaul its overbooking policies, limit the use of law enforcement to remove passengers, and improve customer service training. However, it will be years before the company can fully repair the damage to its reputation.
Conclusion
United Airlines’ handling of the 2017 PR crisis is a textbook example of how corporate PR can go terribly wrong. The lack of empathy, poor timing, and failure to implement a proactive crisis management strategy led to a public relations disaster that hurt the airline’s reputation and consumer trust. While United has made strides to address the issues in its policies, it will forever be remembered for its PR failure that, at its core, stemmed from a lack of understanding of human dignity and customer care.
