Singapore Airlines Delivers a Crisis Communications Masterclass

22.05.2024 - 14:21 / skift.com / Gordon Smith

“Absolute terror.” That’s how one passenger described the events that unfolded onboard Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 on Tuesday. The carrier said a Boeing 777, flying from London to Singapore hit “sudden extreme turbulence,” over Myanmar. 

One person died, and many more were injured, some seriously. Passengers reported seeing heads smashed into overhead panels with people “going completely horizontal” during the mid-flight plunge. 

The flight crew made an emergency landing in the Thai capital Bangkok, where the plane landed safely. Investigations involving a range of international stakeholders have begun.

It’s an uneasy truth that even the best-run airlines can, and do, encounter tragedy. Singapore Airlines claims to be the world’s most awarded carrier, with a reputation for exceptional service and professionalism.

The company is so proud of its accolades that it updates a special section of its website listing the various prizes and awards it has won each month. 

With such a hard-fought reputation, Tuesday’s horror flight had the risk of damaging a highly polished brand, one that is emblematic of the well-tuned city-state it serves.

However, rather than attempting to bury the story, or minimizing its potential reach, Singapore Airlines has delivered a masterclass in media transparency. It has worked at speed and scale to counter the information vacuum that can befall such events. 

The international mix of passengers has only intensified the global interest in the story. The airline says Flight SQ321 was carrying nationals from 17 different countries. This included 56 Australians, 47 Britons, 41 from Singapore, and 23 New Zealanders. 

On Wednesday, as the incident continued to make headlines around the world, the challenging job of communicating the company line didn’t go to a PR underling. Instead, Goh Choon Phong, the chief executive of Singapore Airlines stepped up. 

He took to social media in a three-minute video message and delivered the facts in an authoritative, but emotionally aware way. 

“We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through. Please be assured that Singapore Airlines is here to support you during this difficult time,” said Goh.  

Filmed in an office against a backdrop of computers, the message presented the airline and its leader professionally. It was controlled, but not robotic, with empathy threaded throughout. The clip was soon picked up by major news outlets, further increasing its reach.

Goh’s video, posted on Wednesday morning, was the latest in a string of updates from the airline. Notably, these weren’t hidden away on a corporate communications page or in-person news conference but proactively shared across all of its primary