Last evening saw the airline giant Cathay Pacific issue a heartfelt apology and subsequent termination of three cabin crew members. The trio stood accused by a customer of offensive and discriminatory conduct towards passengers unable to communicate in English.
CEO of Cathay, Ronald Lam, personally extended apologies to the aggrieved customer and the wider community for the unfortunate incident on 23rd May. Upon conclusion of an internal investigation, the airline declared the discharge of the three implicated crew members in adherence with the firm’s stringent policies.
Lam made it explicit that the company fosters a zero-tolerance policy towards any serious breach of the company’s regulations and professional ethics. He firmly stated, “There can be no compromise on such transgressions.” To prevent the recurrence of similar episodes, Lam announced his decision to head a cross-departmental task force. This task force aims to conduct an exhaustive review of Cathay’s service protocol, training programs, and related mechanisms to bolster the airline’s service standards.
Following the unfortunate incident that transpired aboard flight CX987 from Chengdu in Sichuan province to Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific found itself under severe scrutiny. The disturbing details, shared by a user on the popular social platform Xiaohongshu, quickly went viral. The post, which collected over 10,000 likes and prompted 1,000 comments, accused cabin crew members of mocking passengers’ English language proficiency. Subsequently, Cathay issued two apologies on Weibo on the 22nd and 23rd of May, confirming the suspension of the implicated flight attendants pending an internal investigation.
The incident triggered a swift and significant shift in the public sentiment. Prior to the event, Cathay boasted an 18.2% positive sentiment on social media. However, as per the analytics by media intelligence firm CARMA, the positive sentiment plummeted to 7.2% while negative sentiment soared to 22.9% post the incident.
The company now stands at the crossroads of a serious PR crisis, requiring further actions to address the mounting concerns and regain its customers’ trust. Experts believe the airline’s immediate response – a public apology and termination of the employees involved – is a laudable step in damage control. However, a comprehensive, long-term solution is paramount to restoring its reputation in the face of such a debacle.
Jose Raymond, Director of Strategic Advisory at PRecious Communications, suggested that Cathay reinforce its non-discrimination policy across its workforce, reminding staff of the values the brand represents. Simultaneously, David Ko, Managing Director of RFI Asia, proposed an in-depth review of the company’s internal policies on employee behaviour, insisting on a zero-tolerance attitude towards racial discrimination. He further suggested implementing diversity and inclusion training, and refining the hiring process to weed out prejudice.
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The airline needs to confront the underlying discrimination issues within its ranks, according to Charu Srivastava, Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Affairs Lead at TriOn & Co. Highlighting the increasing significance of social media in amplifying a PR crisis, she suggested that companies need to tread cautiously given the surveillance of the online community.
In conclusion, Cathay Pacific’s long-term plan to rebuild its reputation and brand image should commence at ground zero – employee training that promotes understanding and respect for diversity.
The article is based on news by Marketing Interactive.
