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BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA
Without help from organisations with crisis communication skill, the damage caused by One-Two-Go Airlines' fatal MD-82 crash in Phuket on Sept 16 last year would have been be far greater.
Despite its lack of crisis communication management, the airline was fortunate that Thai Airways International, the Transport Ministry and hospitals helped to clarify the tragic event to the public and especially relatives and friends of the 89 passengers who perished.
THAI has experience in crisis communication from three deadly air crashes of its own: Phuket in 1987, Kathmandu in 1992 and Surat Thani in 1998.
Before the Phuket crash, One-Two-Go had been too preoccupied with costs and seemed to either ignore or underestimate the importance of putting in place crisis communication management or dedicating staff to handle it. Rather, it engaged a PR agency for commercial communication on an ad hoc basis.
Even in the post-crash period, the airline was too busy reviving its commercial position and failed to communicate effectively, especially regarding its poor safety image, despite the lashing it took from the crash, experts said.
Adding insult to injury was the Department of Civil Aviation's order in July to ground the airline for three months to improve its safety standards.
One-Two-Go instead confused the public by stating that the grounding was meant to allow time for a financial restructuring, further undermining perceptions of its communication strategy.
The image problem that has resulted could be difficult to restore. But all is not lost if the airline learns from experience and earnestly starts good communication practices.
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