The JetBlue issue we discussed in class was a great example of the kind of thing that needs to be dealt with on a daily basis in the PR industry. The CEO, in my opinion, may not have handled the apology in the most graceful of manner, but he did convey his point articulately. But there were other factors that probably needed to be included in their plans before they could move on from their mistakes.
They needed to re-invent their image. This would not be like reintroducing Tylenol to the market after its 1982 crisis, where you could halt all advertisement containing a triple seal tamper resistant packaging. There really is no such thing as guaranteed problem-free plane flights. But they could "polish their tarnish image." Offering vouchers may not have been the most thought out solution. Maybe reinforcing your message, repeating what your new plans include, would have been more fitting.
But, it takes more than just a few appearances on Larry King Live to fix something like unexplained eight hour delays on your company's track record. Instead of letting the public know that their concerns were understood, what I would have suggested would have been to not ask for more business, but to show through our work efforts that we can prove how we have made the company less mistake-prone or more able to fix the bumps we come along. "We have a responsibility to prevent this from happening again," would be the most important message to convey.
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