Crisis: Communication Management: Applying Theory To Real Cases Read Online

The crisis: A Valentine’s Day ice storm grounded 1,100 JetBlue flights. Passengers sat on tarmacs for up to 11 hours. No food. No working toilets. The CEO, David Neeleman, was in a tunnel with no cell service.

The crisis: A passenger, Dr. David Dao, was violently dragged off an overbooked flight. Videos went viral. Blood on his face. Other passengers screaming. The crisis: A Valentine’s Day ice storm grounded

Don't just look at the cause (weather). Look at your response to the cause. If your process fails, SCCT demands an apology, not an excuse. Theory 2: Image Repair Theory (Benoit) The Rule: When your reputation is damaged, you have five options: Denial, Evading Responsibility, Reducing Offensiveness, Corrective Action, or Mortification (full apology). No working toilets

April 14, 2026 | Reading Time: 6 minutes David Dao, was violently dragged off an overbooked flight

The theory applied (horrifically wrong): United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, sent an email first—which leaked immediately. He called Dr. Dao "disruptive and belligerent." That was victim-blaming (a violation of SCCT's victim cluster). Then his public statement "re-accommodated" the passenger.