United Airlines: Flight 3411 Public Communication Crisis

Abstract

On Sunday, April 9, 2017, the overbooked United Airlines flight 3411 became infamous after social media videos showed a passenger being forcibly removed and dragged from his seat on the airplane by three security officers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport to make room for airline employees while other passengers on the plane shouted in protest. Subsequent social media posts showed the passenger running back onto the airplane with blood streaming down his face. On Monday, April 10, 2017, information about the incident spread throughout social sites and mainstream media, and a public relations nightmare was created for United Airlines that raised questions about the validity of the airline industry. One week after the United Airlines flight 3411 incident had sparked a public relations crisis, United Airlines CEO Munoz communicated that the airline was prepared to take full responsibility for the situation, adding that the airline had reached an undisclosed settlement agreement with the passenger involved, Dr David Dao. Due to Munoz's strategy for managing the Flight 3411 public communication crisis, he lost his opportunity to assume position of chair of United Continental Holdings. What could Munoz have done differently to better manage the Flight 3411 public communication crisis?

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