Southwest's brand is tarnished after its meltdown — how can the airline recover?
Expert in crisis management says restoring Southwest's image won't be easy
"Kennedy" panelists react to Southwest Airlines canceling and delaying 80% of flights during Christmas holiday.
After days of widespread flight cancellations that left thousands of customers stranded across the U.S. over the holidays, Southwest Airlines says it expects operations to be back to normal on Friday. But restoring the once-beloved carrier's good name will likely take a lot longer.
"There is no question the airline has lost the faith and trust of many air travelers — many of whom are still sitting in airports," says Kelcey Kintner, a crisis response expert and senior vice president at global public relations firm Red Banyan.
A traveler waits outside the Southwest Airlines baggage office at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California, Dec. 28, 2022. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Kintner told FOX Business that it is safe to say fewer people will fly Southwest around the holidays next year after this debacle, pointing out that the airline also canceled thousands of flights over a four-day span roughly a year ago.
She says Southwest leaned too heavily on the weather as an excuse in the beginning of this year's crisis but has now moved to a more effective strategy by admitting it fell short.
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CEO Bob Jordan has apologized for the chaos, Kintner noted, but acknowledged that while he said a lot of the right things in a video message days after the meltdown began, there was a lack of an emotional connection.
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan speaks on the state of the airline amid thousands of flight cancellations over the past week.
"He needed to tap into and express what it felt like to be a parent who had been entertaining a toddler in an airport for three days, a senior whose bag was lost with their medication inside, and the travelers and employees who couldn't get to their destinations to see their families," Kintner said of Jordan, saying the CEO missed the mark and came off as too stiff and formal.
"An apology only really works if it feels very authentic and heartfelt," she said. "But this video won't make or break Southwest. The future of the airline depends on the actions taken in the aftermath of this mammoth disruption of service."
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The question now is: How does Southwest win customers back?
Kintner says the company has to put action behind its words by refunding travelers and getting them to their destinations, while also making it up to their incredibly frustrated employees.
A Southwest staffer sorts luggage tags at Los Angeles International Airport, Dec. 28, 2022, in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The PR expert says Southwest has to get serious about fixing its operational challenges so that the airline can handle severe weather and other service disruptions, or else it will be endless fodder for social media and late-night shows.
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She said the airline also need to communicate very authentically and transparently with the public and its staff.
"Some customers will never book on Southwest again, but if the company handles this right moving forward, they can slowly recover," Kintner said, adding, "But it's not going to be easy."