Crisis Communication for Airlines - Episode 310

A veteran crisis-communications expert and author of “Transport Management: Successes and Failures” (2026) joins the show. Linda Tavlin draws on more than 35 years of experience to discuss how transportation organizations—especially airlines—should communicate during major accidents and crises. Linda and John Goglia reflect on their long professional history, including work on major aviation disasters. They illustrate how poor communication during crises often worsens outcomes, while good communication can significantly reduce long-term damage.Linda shares a story about two airlines she helped train. After both had major accidents, one airline followed her approach to communicating about the accident and the other did not. The outcomes were very different.Linda’s approach to crisis communication includes advice on who should communicate to the different groups who deal with an accident investigation. John also discusses the communication strategy in the investigation of the 1996 fatal ValuJet crash.John, Linda and Todd Curtis also discuss the investigation of the 2013 Asiana crash in San Francisco, where a television station broadcast information about the pilots in the airliner that was both false and offensive. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected]. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.