Viral encounters forever change how airlines communicate, United Airlines executive says

State of play: We've all stumbled across a viral video of someone reaching their breaking point on an airplane and snapping at fellow passengers or the flight crew — and how the airline reacts dictates what happens next.

• "A crazy thing could happen at a chain hotel and nobody would care, but if it happens on board an airplane, it's going to be leading to the Today show the next day," Josh Earnest, United Airlines EVP of advertising and communications, said at the Axios Communicators event on Dec. 14.

Zoom in: To stay ahead of moments that can directly impact the business's reputation, United Airlines has a crisis communications team embedded in the airline's international operation centers. The team monitors social media constantly.

• "There definitely have been times where information was coming in on social media that helped inform operational decisions," Earnest said.
• He added that more frequently the airline sees "weird things on social media" or its public relations team gets calls about incidents, and "having a direct line to the people who are running the operation of the airline is critical to our ability to respond in a timely fashion."
• "So if somebody has a bad experience on board a plane, they start tweeting about it. We can meet them at the gate and say, 'We're really sorry about your experience. What can we do to make it better?'" Earnest said.

Between the lines: By responding to issues in real time, United Airlines can often ease tensions and prevent a crisis from snowballing, Earnest said.

• It also serves as a great feedback loop for two of the most critical audiences — fliers and frontline flight crews,

What they're saying: "It's hard to think of a decision that isn't going to influence the way that people think about you," Earnest said.

• "I think if you look at brands that sometimes get in trouble, it's because they were making decisions without having an eye toward the reputational aspects of the decision."

Go deeper: Communication leaders explain the value of reputation.