United Airlines' CEO was just recently named PR Week's 2017 Communicator of the Year
By all rights, Monday should have been a banner day for United Airlines. Just two weeks after United had mishandled a social media kerfuffle about two young teenage girls barred from boarding a plane (on "buddy passes") because they were wearing leggings, chief competitor Delta Air Lines was still working through a morass of 3,000 canceled flights, stranding or inconveniencing tens of thousands of passengers as spring break travel ramped up.
Yet somehow, United made sure the only airline anybody was talking about on Monday was United, thanks to its hamfisted response to a viral video of a passenger being dragged, screaming and bloodied, off a Chicago to Louisville flight, after being bumped for United flight attendants.
United first apologized, but only for "the overbook situation," and explained that airport police had to drag a paying customer off the plane because he "refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily." It's not a good sign, public relations-wise, when the dictionary has to intervene.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
United CEO Oscar Munoz next issued a short statement apologizing "for having to re-accommodate these customers," pairing that oddly cold word with a promise to urgently "work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened." He then privately assured his employees that he "emphatically" stands behind them for following "established procedures" to remove the increasingly "disruptive and belligerent" customer. The general feeling on social media is that United's mishandling of the situation will be taught as a cautionary tale in business school.
Interestingly, PR Week awarded Munoz its 2017 Communicator of the Year award just last month, lauding him as "a smart, dedicated, and excellent leader who understands the value of communications."
To be fair, given Munoz's strong backing of the United crew, a big part of the rationale for PR Week's award is that the CEO has a celebrated "ability to connect and share with employees his vision for the airline," curtailing "customer service problems caused by disgruntled staff that had long plagued the airline." And PR Week didn't just credit Munoz for this turnaround in morale and PR prowess: "Under Munoz's vision for the brand, the airline hired Jim Olson away from Starbucks in February 2016 as SVP of corporate communications. United also hired its first chief storyteller and MD of digital engagement, Dana Brooks Reinglass." Maybe they're on spring break.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay: unwind at this picture-perfect resort
The Week Recommends The retreat that's ideal for recharging your batteries while experiencing life on an Indonesian island
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
The World War Two experiments that made D-Day possible
Under The Radar Scientists performed gruelling tests on themselves paving the way for the iconic invasion
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Is the Supreme Court about to criminalize homelessness?
Talking Points The court will decide if bans on outdoor camping are 'cruel and unusual'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published