{"id":145436,"date":"2024-03-06T16:18:15","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T15:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/?p=145436"},"modified":"2024-03-06T17:56:30","modified_gmt":"2024-03-06T16:56:30","slug":"when-a-crisis-spreads-to-your-brand-free-fall-following-the-boeing-blowout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/when-a-crisis-spreads-to-your-brand-free-fall-following-the-boeing-blowout\/","title":{"rendered":"When a crisis spreads to your brand: Free fall following the Boeing blowout"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>A robust plan can help protect organisations against future crises. But what happens when calamity hits another brand entirely, but your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/how-reliable-is-your-brand-heres-how-to-boost-your-reputation-in-the-press\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reputation<\/a> is dragged into the fray?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This was the conundrum faced by brands including Airbus, Delta Air Lines, and even Tesla and Apple following a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/LNgFw4jguVA?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mid-air door blowout<\/a> on an Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024. While Boeing\u2019s 737 Max jet was at the centre of the story following the emergency landing, other names were pulled into the controversy as coverage and conversation grew.<\/p>\n<p>Using X data from our sister audience intelligence platform <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pulsarplatform.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pulsar<\/a>, we take a look at how the crisis spread from one brand to another.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0109Oub_S4k?si=gADBZVGR1LZtNIZQ?rel=0&#038;loop=1&#038;autoplay=1&#038;showinfo=0\" width=\"760\" height=\"397\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Boeing\u2019s brand blowout<\/h3>\n<p>Boeing was under fire quickly once the story was out and being shared on socials. An investigation by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/newsroom\/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Aviation Administration<\/a> ordered the grounding of over 170 Boeing 77 Max 9 airlines across the world pending inspections following the incident, and the Transportation Safety Board also began an investigation.<\/p>\n<p>While Boeing quickly issued external and internal statements &#8211; promising publicly that \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2024\/01\/08\/business\/boeing-safety-quality-problems\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">safety is our top priority<\/a>\u2019 and that \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/boeing-ceo-acknowledging-our-mistake-alaska-airlines-door-plug-blowout-dave-calhoun\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">acknowledging our mistake<\/a>\u2019 would be the approach within the organisation &#8211; the impact of the crisis spread further. Press reports centred on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2024\/jan\/08\/boeing-shares-fall-door-plane-mid-flight-spirit-aerosystems-737-max-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">share falls<\/a> for Boeing and parts supplier Spirit AeroSystem, and the spotlight on Alaska Airlines only got brighter as <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/01\/06\/news\/tiktoker-captures-alaska-airlines-emergency-landing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">footage<\/a> of the cabin blowout went viral on TikTok.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145441 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alaska.jpg\" alt=\"Alaska Airlines social media reaction\" width=\"760\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alaska.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alaska-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alaska-705x320.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alaska-500x227.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Delta is dealt a hard blow<\/h3>\n<p>But Boeing and Alaska Airlines weren\u2019t the only brands who would face the consequences of this crisis. Boeing customer Delta\u2019s need to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.delta.com\/delta-begins-interior-refresh-select-boeing-737-800s-expands-delta-one-cabin-a350-900-fleet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reassure flyers<\/a> worried about a repeat incident faced setbacks early on. Additional malfunctions &#8211; including the <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/regulation\/transportation\/4425300-delta-boeing-plane-loses-wheel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">loss of a Delta Boeing nose wheel<\/a> while taxiing towards takeoff &#8211; would gain widespread attention.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145443 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Delta.jpg\" alt=\"Chart tracking Delta mentions across social media\" width=\"760\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Delta.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Delta-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Delta-705x320.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Delta-500x227.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Airbus gets airtime<\/h3>\n<p>Competitor Airbus became the subject of much positive online conversation, used as an easy contrast to Boeing.<\/p>\n<p>Airbus would be highlighted as \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1yyFaY3OTylEwm1rdd-Dca1jlphkytNUtoRuzPuAs0H0\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">competent<\/a>\u2019 in reporting from the New York Times &#8211; not the most glowing of descriptors, but certainly positive in comparison to its troubled rival. As summed up by Richard Aboulafia, the managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018What used to be a duopoly has become two-thirds Airbus, one-third Boeing. A lot of people, whether investors, financiers or customers, are looking at Airbus and seeing a company run by competent people.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The contrast with Boeing is fairly profound.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145440 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Airbus.jpg\" alt=\"Airbus social media \" width=\"760\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Airbus.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Airbus-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Airbus-705x320.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Airbus-500x227.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Apple takes a bite of the coverage<\/h3>\n<p>One seemingly unrelated brand that came out with a PR win was Apple. An intact and still-working <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2024\/1\/8\/24029806\/boeing-737-max-9-iphone-found-working\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iPhone<\/a> found in the debris of the accident boosted online conversation around its products for the positive &#8211;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145452 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/iphone-tweet.jpg\" alt=\"Tweet about iPhone found in Boeing wreckage\" width=\"592\" height=\"549\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/iphone-tweet.jpg 592w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/iphone-tweet-300x278.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/iphone-tweet-500x464.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>-Well, mainly for the positive:<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The No. 1 comment I\u2019ve been getting every place I\u2019ve posted the picture was that, \u201cMy iPhone drops 5 feet, and it shatters and this phone lands after 16,000 feet and is just fine,\u201d\u2019 said Sean Bates, finder of the phone, in an interview with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattletimes.com\/business\/boeing-aerospace\/iphone-from-blown-out-boeing-737-max-9-found-still-working-in-oregon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145442 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apple.jpg\" alt=\"Apple social media mentions\" width=\"760\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apple.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apple-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apple-705x320.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apple-500x227.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Another PR tussle for Tesla<\/h3>\n<p>A brand that didn\u2019t fare so well in relation to the story was Tesla. Unlike Airbus, this organisation wasn\u2019t brought into the conversation organically, but instead inserted into it. By Tesla managing director himself, Elon Musk.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145453 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Elon-tweet.jpg\" alt=\"Elon Musk tweet on Boeing\" width=\"591\" height=\"726\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Elon-tweet.jpg 591w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Elon-tweet-244x300.jpg 244w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Elon-tweet-574x705.jpg 574w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Elon-tweet-500x614.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 591px) 100vw, 591px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Musk doubled-down on this <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/01\/11\/business\/elon-musk-rips-boeing-they-prioritized-dei-over-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">claim<\/a> with \u2018People will die due to DEI\u2019 in a subsequent post, and the criticism started.<\/p>\n<p>But not just criticism hit Tesla &#8211; its stocks also began to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dereksaul\/2024\/02\/05\/tesla-stock-sinks-to-9-month-low-worst-sp-500-performer-as-musk-controversies-leave-black-cloud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">plummet<\/a> amid the latest controversy surrounding the brand.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-145445 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Tesla.jpg\" alt=\"Tesla social media mentions\" width=\"760\" height=\"340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Tesla.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Tesla-300x134.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Tesla-705x315.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Tesla-500x224.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Fixing the fallout<\/h3>\n<p>Months following that fateful door blowout, positive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investorschronicle.co.uk\/news\/2024\/03\/04\/airbus-and-boeing-supplier-senior-reports-strong-2023-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">share results<\/a> for Boeing match that of its Airbus for 2023. However, this isn\u2019t the last time Boeing, Alaska Airlines &#8211; and perhaps the other brands pulled into the crisis &#8211; will have questions to answer on the incident.<\/p>\n<p>Three passengers who were onboard flight 1282 from Portland to Ontario, California, are now pursuing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/travel\/news-and-advice\/passengers-sue-alaska-airlines-ps1billion-b2506440.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legal action<\/a> against Boeing and Alaska Airlines. As of now, more difficult travels could be ahead for their PR teams.<\/p>\n<p>To see this brand journey in video format, check out this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/pulsar-platform_brandreputation-pr-audiences-activity-7163538369170370562-XcHL?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn post<\/a> from Pulsar.<\/p>\n<p><em>For more on how to handle a reputational crisis, check out our blog \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/should-you-shut-up-or-shut-down-in-a-pr-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Speak Up or Shut Down: The Value of Proactive PR in a Crisis<\/a>\u2019, featuring examples from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UK airline strikes, and net zero targets in the Pharma industry. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A robust plan can help protect organisations against future crises. But what happens when calamity hits another brand entirely, but your reputation is dragged into the fray? This was the conundrum faced by brands including &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":145424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7365,7272,3531,3725,3729,3734],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145436"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/423"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145436"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":145470,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145436\/revisions\/145470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}