Easyjet’s Volcanic PR

Claire Thompson, Freelance PR Consultant, Waves PR

On EasyJet’s Communications during the volcano crisis

EasyJet’s Twitter presence:

http://twitter.com/easyJet/

http://twitter.com/easyJetCare

Communications

I expected to dislike the EasyJet stance, but their site boasted a clear, easily findable statement: it said, however nothing about refunds/stranded passengers.

Their press office is separated off, very smartly, with regulatory news separated off. Given the difference in communications required (caring for stranded customers v. financial implications) this seems smart.But it’s here you get an insight into the issues facing the already beset airlines.

Based on our initial estimates the cumulative profit impact, up to and including 19 April 2010, representing both the lost contribution and additional costs is around £40million. The continuing daily profit impact is estimated to be around £5million.

But there endeth the good news. There have been no non-regulatory news updates since April 13 and within that  nothing about the ash at all – lots of digs at BA though!

And although, like some of the other airlines, notably RyanAir, they’re putting on additional flights, there’s no apparent free/at cost offer, so presumably(call me cynical)  this is a way to recoup some lost funds.

But it’s on Twitter that they need to be looking at their reputation:

RT @scrauny: at the airport again; where is the easyJet lady? After yesterday, presume she is hiding…

RT @dai14lox: @easyJet hahaha shouldnt your priority be to put correct info on your actual site, rather than us having to search for it!?! #fail

The EasyJetCare account appears to have been well managed and  will direct you you to right bit of website for information. It does, however, seem reactive rather than proactively ‘broadcasting’ useful; information.

From there I found this statement regarding travellers expenses: http://easyjet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3739/kw/refund/r_id/166

Easyjet’s weaknesses lie in its proactive engagement (or lack of it), and sharing information doesn’t come across as having been a priority for anyone, including ground crews – whilst the financial implications are clearly figuring highly in the company’s list of concerns.

And whilst communication with customers hasn’t been exemplary, they appear to have spent an awful lot of time talking to the media (see below)

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RyanAir’s Volcanic PR

Claire Thompson, Freelance PR Consultant, Waves PR

On RyanAir’s Communications during the volcano crisis

RyanAir’s one interest is selling low price tickets, so their communications need viewing in this light. They don’t seek, or earn, customer loyalty. The company appears to view flights as a utility to be provided as cheaply as possible. This is witnessed by the presence of sites such as Opposite of RyanAir, and it’s related Twitter account – a poignant reminder that customer care matters little to RyanAir. Meanwhile, it’s been reported that hits to the RyanAir website have risen by over 50%. (Personally, I’m surprised that figure’s not higher.)

Twitter presence:

Read more »

Virgin’s Volcanic PR

Claire Thompson, freelance PR consultant, Waves PR

On Virgin’s communications during the volcano crisis.

Virgin Airways didn’t appear to engage much with the whole stranded passengers affair, possibly because less of its flights were affected. Most negative comment seems to focus on stranded passenger in Mauritius, where communication has apparently been poor, and ‘rescue’ has been slow.

For the most part, however, passenger dissatisfaction appeared to  focus far more on other airlines.

Twitter presence

Sites identified as belonging to Virgin included:

http://twitter.com/VirginAmerica – very little about the stranded passenger situation.

http://twitter.com/VirginAtlantic – is engaging one to one

http://twitter.com/VirginBlue – really a Virgin site?

Communications

In the midst of people wanting information, Virgin was making announcements including a new Twitter presence

Announcements:

Virgin did post a very clear statement of what passenger should do, and of what expenses they will cover. And Richard Branson blogged – which disgruntled passengers used as a sounding post.

Overall, however, Virgin expressed a good sense of priorities in its statements:

In an effort to prioritise and repatriate the passengers stranded away from their homes, we are not accepting any new bookings for travel from Monday 19 April 2010 up to and including Friday 30 April 2010 April.

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Media Management When A Child Dies

Claire Thompson, Freelance PR Consultant, Waves PR

Last week I was due at a Gumtree event. I was looking forward to it, but shortly before leaving, I received a panicked call from a friend who manages a sports club. A child had died andthe local media was hounding them for information and statements .

Sadly, this is the second time in less than a year I’ve been contacted on the same subject, after a neighbour’s son was killed in a car crash and the family was distraught at the misinformation being repeated.

When a child dies, there is very little information available  for those around their families and friends about how to manage the media.

I’m not talking about information for professional organisations, social workers and the like, who have (or should have) training and easy access to professionals. I’m not talking about the situations where the police will be giving strict guidelines and helping with statements.

I am talking about a short, easy guide for the family friends, the football clubs that suddenly find themselves not only dealing with their own emotions, and those of the other children around them, but also having to deal with the media.

So over the coming month I plan to put together a guide to help. The media handling side is no problem, but there will be others out there who can help – who can share their own experiences, who can point to useful resources, who know from their own experiences what information they would have liked to have found, even who might like to sponsor it or help write it up.

So this is an appeal for anyone who may have something to share to let me know, either here or by email, claire at wavespr dotcom.

Everything will, I promise, be dealt with sensitively, and anyone whose story is shared will see the copy before it’s published.