Originally Posted by
bryris
Do you honestly think that from a management perspective, there isn't a slight damper put on the company's goodwill in the eyes of the public after this incident?
Sure, but America has a very short memory (well, perhaps with the exception of airline pilots, so maybe I am bolstering your argument). We will be the butt of late night fish-in-a-barrel humor, but that will go away in a month or so.
Originally Posted by
bryris
The objective will be to show these guys violated company policy (they've already issued several statements publicly) and to take whatever measures need to be taken to prove that this was one isolated incident and that actions are being taken to avoid this happening in the future.
Why is this an "objective" and from/for whom is it an objective? If it is an isolated incident, why are steps needed to avoid this in the future? Should we now try to anticipate other ridiculous incidents and head them off before they ever occur? (What was that Tom Cruise movie about the pre crime force?) At some point, you never go outside because you are afraid of getting acid rain in your eyes. No... this is turning into a public lynching.
Originally Posted by
bryris
We all know based on the volume of fights occurring everyday that this is really not a problem. But, the public generalizes things and it will be shown that measures are being advanced to prevent a similar problem in the future.
But, the plus is that these things have a short shelf life. In a few months, no one will be thinking about this and the problem will have largely rectified itself.
This is PR maintenance and is exactly how it works. Most large companies have PR departments that exclusively deal with issues like this, whether in aviation or otherwise.
There are other ways to handle this than to flush the careers of two quality aviators. YEah yeah.. I can hear Grampaw Pettibone, but I think the pitchforks and bonfires are waaaay too premature, and unwarranted. I am more than willing to await the investigation findings and not rush to judgment, and I hope that most of us are. The public' s opinion of this is irrelevant for the most part. They haven't stopped flying
because of this.. and if there is retraining involved and some sanction.. this too will pass.