Public Relations 101: First, crash the plane. Second, declare the pilot a hero for not killing everyone. Third, blast the media with images of grateful passengers all chanting, “we did not die today.” Fourth, repeat the PR spinning until everyone forgets that the plane was not supposed to crash in the first place.
Delta Flight 4951 had mechanical problems which is Delta’s fault. Delta Pilot Jack Conroyd landed the plane under the most difficult of circumstances; however, that was his job. Yes, he did it well but Delta failed to maintain the plane adequately. The maintenance mistake by Delta is the real story, but they would prefer you fixate on the pilot instead.
You may recall a similar story involving a pilot named Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the US Airways pilot who safely crash-landed Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January 2009. He did not kill anyone either. US Airways called this a crash a hero story, too.
Remember that behind every news story is a PR machine spinning the story to make money or to save someone’s job or both.
Is the American public that dumb? Yes, they are.
Read the story about the pilot turned hero and the airline dodging a bullet.
John Bradley Jackson
© Copyright 2010