It seems like just last month that United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz was being honored as PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year.
https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/851595381377032192
Tonight we will honor United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz as PRWeek U.S. Communicator of the Year #PRWeekAwardsUS https://t.co/MYb0xSH385 pic.twitter.com/N4unyKTdfD
— PRWeek US (@PRWeekUS) March 16, 2017
Might I suggest you re-accommodate this honor?
— Sblendita (@Sblendita) April 10, 2017
It would have seemed that things couldn’t have gotten worse for United Airlines after video of a passenger being forcibly removed from a flight went viral on social media. It really seemed that the passenger’s only crime was refusing to “volunteer” to be denied boarding on a flight that the airline had overbooked.
After a full day of taking a beating on social media, things managed to get even worse for United when an email from the CEO to employees began to circulate online, seeming to confirm everyone’s very worst suspicions: the passenger was politely asked to deplane to make room for crew members, and when he refused, things turned much less polite very quickly.
https://twitter.com/SteveKopack/status/851577672429916161
https://twitter.com/SimpsonMorgan/status/851583499488329728
BS. He wasn't denied boarding. He was already on the plane. And @United did have a choice, to act decently. Failed that test.
— Esther (@GratuitousV) April 10, 2017
#United CEO doubles down in email to staff, says passenger was 'disruptive and belligerent' https://t.co/SlpNKFhDyY what not to do #prfails
— Weiyi Lim (@lim_weiyi) April 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/MattInfald/status/851604874475196416
The letter from @United CEO repeatedly emphasizes passenger's crime: failure to obey. He "refused" to give up his seat for a United employee pic.twitter.com/yrtrcG9cS4
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/ThatElJefe/status/851584596970020867
https://twitter.com/CamboDonut/status/851585091243352064
Who is doing crisis communications for @United? Every step of the way it gets worse. https://t.co/Q6b3qY2Z87
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 11, 2017
Everything United has done since this incident has been 100% wrong. This should be in PR textbooks as an example of what not to do. https://t.co/cwD4nZ7nl6
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) April 11, 2017
That's the same story as online. They overbooked then forcibly removed a passenger. Their policy of using force is the issue people have.
— Eric Bandholz (@bandholz) April 11, 2017
He wasn't denied, he was told to leave after having the seat. If he was denied he wouldn't be on the plane. People don't sneak into planes.
— Eric Bandholz (@bandholz) April 11, 2017
I've seen it at the gate; I haven't seen it on the fucking plane.
— Pumpkin Fright?⚕️? (@DrPizza) April 11, 2017
This letter is not a public relations response but a legal response. United is straight up giving the victim the middle finger here. https://t.co/DKlfnZLBOm
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) April 11, 2017
Uh oh … Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii has taken an interest.
Seriously? No corporation should be allowed to use law enforcement to maximize profits. And no paying passenger should ever be harmed. https://t.co/xA18Tzl8AL
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) April 11, 2017
time for Congress to investigate overbooking, seat size decrease and emergency evacuations, and other predatory practices by the industry
— cjspassingboldly (@cjs1407) April 11, 2017
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Related:
Brace yourselves! Guess who Star Trek star John Cho blames for United mess https://t.co/42y5kcxpLV
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 10, 2017
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