AY 2023 Sem 1 E362_LLP02_ Notes.pdf

OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Touchpoint A touchpoint is any interaction (including encounters where there is no physical interaction) that might alter the way that your customer feels about your product, brand, business or service. Touchpoints Explanation Physical Physical touchpoints relat...

OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Touchpoint A touchpoint is any interaction (including encounters where there is no physical interaction) that might alter the way that your customer feels about your product, brand, business or service. Touchpoints Explanation Physical Physical touchpoints relate to the aspects of the airport environment that can be experienced through any of the five human senses. The design and architectural treatment of the terminal space, furniture and other finishes, airport announcements and restroom odours are examples of physical touchpoints. Subliminal Subliminal touchpoints are subconscious. Airport ambience describes the mood or unique atmosphere evoked by a place and is an example of a subliminal touch-point. Human Human touchpoints are the numerous interpersonal interactions between airport staff and airport customers whether in-person or on the phone. Procedural Procedural touchpoints include interaction between customers and airport systems, policies and procedures. Automated telephone systems, airport lost and found procedures and airline baggage fee policies are examples of procedural touch-points. Communication Communication touchpoints include interactions influenced by communications between the airport and the customer. Airport websites, brochures and responses to customer complaints are examples of communication touch-points. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Queue Management • Process of moving customers from a central location to a specific place or service. • Customers can be left confused as to what line to stand in and what counter to go to. • Queues are organised using: • Appropriate signage. • Equipment such as stanchions, queue poles and barriers. • Other resources in accordance with workplace procedures. • Progress of the queue is monitored: • Take appropriate action to adjust servicing resources. • Reorganise queue when queue becomes excessively long or short. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Organizing Waiting Lines in Airports Airport Service Quality’s Best Practice Report describes two main ways of organising waiting lines in airports: Single Queue Disney Queue One queue serves one counter/checkpoint. One queue serving multiple counters/checkpoints counters. Source: Airport Service Quality - Best Practice Report OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Organizing Waiting Lines in Airports Single Queue, Single Server Single Queue, Multiple Servers Source: Airport Service Quality - Best Practice Report OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Perceived Waiting Times Single Queue • Single queues are easy to manage. • However, single queues can create feelings of unfairness if passengers waiting in the other lines advance faster. Disney Queue • Disney queues are preferred by passengers as this type of queue organisation makes them move forward continuously. • Feeling of unfairness are not experienced by passengers in a Disney queue as everyone stands in the same line. • However, Disney queues require more control to maintain order and to direct passengers to available counters. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Combing and Bending Queues Combing a Queue • Queue is combed at appropriate times to identify passengers who have priority needs for rapid check-in: • Passengers identified as having priority needs for check-in are moved to the head of the queue. • Passengers without baggage are directed to proceed to express check-in or to the gate. • Appropriate explanations are provided to other passengers in the queue of the reasons for the priority service. Bending a Queue • Queues are bent to ensure: • Passenger traffic is not obstructed. • Thoroughfares are not blocked. Queue Combing OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Function of Terminal Management Centre (TMC) • Function: • Oversee daily terminal operations in the passenger terminals. • Ensure smooth operations at all times. • In Changi Airport, the Terminal Manager is based in the TMC. • In the event of any incident or accident in the terminal, Duty Terminal Managers (DTMs) will be first on site to attend to the situation • DTMs walk the ground. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Function of Airport Operations Centre (AOC) • AOC oversees airport-wide operations. • Firsthand information received and disseminated. • Airport agencies' operations centres are set up in clusters to facilitate interaction and coordinate actions. • Agencies in the AOC include: • Changi Airport Group (CAG) • Airport Police Division (APD) • SATS • SIA Engineering Company • Certis Cisco Aviation Security OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Conditions for Smooth Ground Operations • • • • • • Adequate physical facilities/infrastructure. Good ground handlers. Fast clearance of customs, immigration and security. Good landside ground transport system. Clear information and signage system. Comprehensive passenger amenities. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Passenger Facilitation • Involves processes linked across stakeholder environments for the entire end-to-end passenger journey. • Passenger facilitation activities: – Passenger Check-in. – Immigration Control. • Seen from the landside through the glass walls that separate the airside from the landside. – Wayfinding. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Commercial Facilities and Services • • • • • • • • • • • Retail Shops. Food and Beverage Outlets. Convenience Stores. Foreign Currency Exchange. Passenger Meeting Services. Hotel Reservations Counters. Car Rental Agencies. Information Counters Customer Service Counters. Baby Care Rooms. Smoking Areas. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Locational Factors of Commercial Facilities • Position of shops in relation to passenger flows: – Determines the percentage of passengers that makes a purchase in the shop. – Best locations: – Direct line of passenger flow. – As close as possible to departure gates. • Floor level on which shops and services are provided in relation to the passenger flows: – Needing to go up or down a floor level to shop is a disincentive. – Even worse if passengers have to use stairs instead of escalators. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Wayfinding Colours: Changi Airport OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Multilingual Signage: Changi Airport Primary Language: • English. Secondary Languages: • Simplified Chinese. • Bahasa Melayu. • Japanese. Primary Language: English. Secondary Languages: Simplified Chinese. Bahasa Melayu. Japanese. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Pictogram and Ideogram Signage, Pictogram and Ideogram • Read the article in the Resource: History of Pictograms & Ideogram OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Pictogram and Ideogram • A pictogram uses a picture of an object • An ideogram uses a symbol made of geometric shapes to represent an idea. Ideogram Pictogram OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Pictogram and Ideogram • A signage can be a combination of both Ideogram Red Circle with a Diagonal Line depicting “No’ Pictogram Picture of a Cigarette depicting “Smoking’ OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Objectives of a Signage System • Serves as an effective wayfinding tool. • Shows passengers where to go and how to get there. • Displays airport and flight related information. Heathrow Airport, London CDG Airport, Paris OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Knowing Passenger’s Needs and Wants Needs of Arriving / Departing / Transiting / Transferring Passengers: • What are the touchpoints for passengers? • For example, Immigration, Check-in, Gates. • Can passengers locate these touchpoints easily? • Can passengers use sight line to locate touchpoints? • Are passengers getting the information they need? • Where to go to next? • What documents to present? • Rules and Regulations regarding prohibited items. • Can the information be easily comprehended? OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Airport Signage Design • Symbols / Pictograms designed based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) and American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) standards. • Signage must be recognized across cultures and languages. • No mandatory design standards. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Graphic Displays • Graphics may be used to convey messages. • Use pictures for speed and text for accuracy. • An example, Airline Passenger Safety Information Card. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Design and Planting of Signage • People flow: • Signage must be in the direction of people flow. • Environment: • Affects visibility of signage. • Consider lighting conditions, whether smoky environment, etc. • Timely presentation of information: • Information must be presented in advance. • Give users sufficient time to react. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Design and Planting of Signage • Avoid adding more signs: • Too many signs confuse the user. • Clutter the display area. • Visually unappealing and not user friendly. • Easy and cost effective update of information: • Signage needs to be updated in response to changes. • Cost must not be a prohibitive factor. • Flexibility of deployment: • Signage may be required on a needs basis. • Flexibility of deployment enables this. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Types of Signage OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE What is Benchmarking? Benchmarking is the continuous process of identifying, understanding and adapting best practices and processes that will lead to superior performance. • As airports become more commercially oriented, they are keen to identify the strong performers in the industry and adopt what are seen as best practices. • Benchmarking measures the economic and financial performance of an airport relative to other airport. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Internal and External Benchmarking Airport benchmarking is divided into internal benchmarking and external benchmarking. • Internal (or self-benchmarking) is where an airport compares its performance with itself over time. • External (or peer benchmarking) is where an airport compares its performance against other airports, either at a single point in time or over a period of time. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Drivers for Benchmarking External Drivers • Customers continually demand better quality, lower prices, shorter lead times, etc. • Competitors are continually trying to get ahead and steal markets. • Legislation – changes in laws place ever greater demands for improvement. Internal Drivers • Targets which require improvements on ‘best ever’ performance. • Technology • A fundamental change in processes is often required to benefit fully from introducing new technologies. • Self-assessment results which provide opportunities to learn from adapting best practices. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Five Stages of Benchmarking The five stages of benchmarking are all focused on trying to measure comparisons and identify areas for action and change. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE First Stage: Plan PLAN the study: • Select the processes for benchmarking. • Bring together the appropriate team to be involved and establish roles and responsibilities. • Identify benchmarks and measures for data collection. • Identify benchmarking partners, or identify best competitors or operators of the process(es), perhaps using customer feedback or industry observers. • Document the current process(es). OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Second Stage: Collect COLLECT data and information: • Decide information and data collection methodology, including desk research. • Record current performance levels. • Conduct a preliminary investigation. • Prepare for any site visits and interact with target organizations. • Use data collection methodology. • Carry out site visits. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Third Stage: Analyse ANALYSE the data and information: • Normalise the performance data, as appropriate. • Construct a matrix to compare current performance with benchmarking competitors’/partners’ performance. • Identify outstanding practices. • Isolate and understand the process enablers, as well as the performance measures. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Fourth Stage: Adapt ADAPT the approaches: • Catalogue the information and create a ‘competency profile’ of the organization. • Develop new performance level objectives/targets/standards. • Vision alternative process(es) incorporating best practice enablers. • Identify and minimize barriers to change. • Develop action plans to adapt and implement best practices, make process changes, and achieve goals. • Implement specific actions and integrate them into the organization. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Fifth Stage: Review REVIEW performance and the study: • Monitor the results/improvements. • Assess outcomes and learnings from the study. • Review benchmarks. • Share experiences and best practice learnings from implementation. • Review relationships with target/partner organizations. • Identify further opportunities for improving and sustaining performance. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Customer Experience Management • It is very important that airports embrace customer experience management airport-wide for the following reasons: • • • A well-managed, orderly and less stressful airport experience is more safe and secure. A happy customer is more likely to spend more at the airport, thereby increasing the non-aeronautical revenue. It will improve the airport’s image and ranking among its peers and competitor airports. • Customer experience management provides the greatest return on investment for increasing non-aeronautical revenues. • As the airport is a complex* business, aligning a consistent customer experience is difficult due to different organisations and stakeholders such as the airlines, retailers, and, the government. • * Complex owing to different passenger profiles: • Passengers from different countries have different cultures, and hence have different expectations, needs and ideas about customer experience in the airport. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey • Owned and directed by Airports Council International (ACI). • Bias-free and statistically accurate reflection of service levels in an airport, as experienced by the passenger. • ASQ offers a co-ordinated approach for measuring service quality. • • All airports use the same questionnaire and methodology. ASQ Survey identifies passenger perceptions. • Every month, at all participating airports, departing passengers are interviewed about their on-the-day experience. • Every year, over 350,000 passengers are interviewed for the ASQ Survey. • 36 key service areas are investigated. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE ASQ Survey Areas OVERALL SATISFACTION 1 Overall satisfaction with the airport 2 Overall satisfaction with the airport: business pax 3 Overall satisfaction with the airport: leisure pax SECURITY 13 Courtesy and helpfulness of Security staff 14 Thoroughness of Security inspection 15 Waiting time at Security inspection 16 Feeling of being safe and secure ACCESS 4 Ground transportation to/from the airport 5 Parking facilities 6 Parking facilities value for money 7 Availability of baggage carts/trolleys FINDING YOUR WAY 17 Ease of finding your way through airport 18 Flight information screens 19 Walking distance inside the terminal 20 Ease of making connections with other flights CHECK-IN (AT THIS AIRPORT) 8 Waiting time in check-in queue/line 9 Efficiency of check-in staff 10 Courtesy, helpfulness of check-in staff PASSPORT / PERSONAL ID CONTROL 11 Waiting time at passport / personal ID inspection 12 Courtesy and helpfulness of inspection staff OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE ASQ Survey Areas AIRPORT FACILITIES 21 Courtesy, helpfulness of airport staff 22 Restaurant / Eating facilities 23 Restaurant facilities value for money 24 Availability of bank / ATM facilities/money changers 25 Shopping facilities 26 Shopping facilities value for money 27 Internet access / Wi-fi 28 Business / Executive lounges 29 Availability of washrooms/toilets 30 Cleanliness of washrooms/toilets 31 Comfort of waiting/gate areas AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT 32 Cleanliness of airport terminal 33 Ambiance of the airport ARRIVALS SERVICES 34 Arrivals passport and visa inspection 35 Speed of baggage delivery service 36 Customs inspection OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Service Performance Chart (SPC) OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE How to Use the SPC • Determine the service attributes to be analysed • Develop survey questionnaire to obtain passenger feedback • Each survey question must comprise two parts: • One to ascertain Importance of the service to the passenger (e.g.: How important toilet hygiene & overall cleanliness is to you? Rate 1-10) • Another to ascertain Performance of the service by service provider (e.g.: How do you find our airport’s toilet hygiene & overall cleanliness? Rate 1-10 ) • Plot the points onto the SPC • Each pair of coordinates in the SPC will indicate: • Importance of the service to the passenger • Performance of the service as perceived by the passenger • Airport operator can then take the necessary action OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Service Performance Chart (SPC) OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Axioms of Service Recovery Axiom 1: Customers have Recovery Expectations • Customers who expect the relationship to continue, have service recovery expectations. Axiom 2: Successful Recovery is Psychological as Well as Physical: Fix the Person, then the Problem • Listening to the person and letting them vent their frustration and blow off steam. Letting the person tell their story and describe the impact of the failure is essential. Axiom 3: Work in a Spirit of Partnership • The first question should not be, "So what do you want me to do about it?" Work cooperatively to come up with a solution that makes the person feel like part of the problem solving and that acknowledges his or her needs. Axiom 4: Customers React More Strongly to “Fairness” Failures Than to “Honest Mistakes” • The only effective solution when a person feels like they have been unfairly treated is extreme apology and atonement. When a situation like this occurs, the patient or member is a prime candidate for overt retaliation Axiom 5: Effective Recovery is a Planned Process • Even though there may have planned solutions in place, they must be offered in a very customer-sensitive way so that it does not leave people with the impression that the problem is common. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Management (BCM) Business Continuity (BC) The capability of the organization to continue delivery of products or services at acceptable service level following a disruptive incident. • Development of strategies, plans, processes for this capability enables organizations to: 1. Assure the organization’s customers, stakeholders and regulators that they can maintain minimal service level during disruptions and recover fully afterward. 2. Minimise the impact of potential interruptions on operations continuity. Airports can develop and maintain a Business Continuity Plan. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process • Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is a process or methodology that documents; 1. How business is conducted during a disruption and how essential functions, processes and resources are optimally recovered and restored after a disruption. 2. The process of developing a roadmap for continuing operations under adverse conditions and during disruptions caused by all types of incidents, emergencies and crises. • • • BCP is not concerned with the type of incident or emergency that causes disruptions or with the likelihood of occurrence. The focus of BCP is on the impact of such an emergency incident on the continuity and resilience of the essential functions and processes that are regular, routine airport operations. The kinds of resources used to respond to emergencies are very different from those used to recover business operations. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process Project Management – Objectives and Assumptions Business Impact Analysis Gap Analysis and Strategy Plan Development and Integration Testing and Maintenance 1. Project Management – Objectives and Assumption • Objectives of the BCP should be to document the organization of the recovery, individual and functional roles and responsibilities, and the associated resources required to minimize the effect of a disruption on airport operations. • The Business Continuity Plan should detail the procedures that will be carried out by the individual functions operating at the airport in the event of a disaster that affects airport facilities. • The plan should provide for testing, maintenance and overall planning standards. • Types of operational assumptions an airport makes will define much of the scope, breadth, duration and complexity of its plan. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process 2. Business Impact Analysis (BIA) • • • BIA is the foundational step that usually drives the development of the business continuity plan. BIA generally consists of these general steps: 1. Identifying critical business functions 2. Analyzing and documenting functions 3. Defining Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) RTO • Important question is how long can a function be down before there is real pain and negative consequences? • • • Tolerance to downtime is referred to as each function’s RTO Functional RTOs can be measured in minutes, hours, days or weeks, based on level of criticality, seasonal or cyclical imperatives, and other factors RPO • An indication of the amount of time the function can continue without supporting data before the productivity of the function is materially impacted. • • • Data dependence can be profound for critical financial and reporting applications; supervisory control and data acquisition systems; and hardware, network, database, or communications infrastructure. A function’s RPO is affected by factors such as how often a process must run or be activated. RPOs can be affected by whether there are viable functional alternatives for temporarily running the process without the usual technology support. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process 2. Business Impact Analysis (BIA) • Determining & Ranking Recovery Priorities • Once each essential function is analyzed and both RTO/RPOs are established, a recovery ranking system is needed to prioritize function recoveries according to the airport’s unique needs and circumstances. Ranking the recoveries helps reduce disagreements between the airport and its various stakeholders. There is no one standard recovery priority model, every organization is unique. • • OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process 3. Gap Analysis and Strategy • • • In the Gap Analysis phase, the airport should analyse its set of required functions, as defined by the BIA, and compare it to both the resources currently available to aid recovery and the current plans or procedures for doing so. The gap (or difference) between recovery needs and capacity and resources available to sustain operations is addressed by the airport’s business continuity strategy and is definer for every essential operational element. In its gap analysis the airport should look at the various elements of current practice and capacity and documents disparities between what is required by each essential function to recover operations (based on priority) and what resources are currently available to do so. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Business Continuity Process 4. Plan Development and Integration • The documentation of the business continuity strategy for all an airport’s business and operating functions should be integrated into a plan that includes: o Administrative content o Business continuity plan elements 5. Plan Testing, Exercises and Maintenance • • When the business continuity strategy is developed and the plan is documented, it should he continually maintained and regularly tested and exercised. Airports should consider using types of exercises: o Structured walk-through o Component testing o Integrated simulation / full operations test. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Aerodrome Emergency Planning • Aerodrome emergency planning is the process of preparing an aerodrome to cope with an emergency occurring at the aerodrome or in its vicinity. • Objective of aerodrome emergency planning is to minimize the effects of an emergency, particularly in respect of saving lives and maintaining aircraft operations. • Aerodrome emergency plan sets forth the procedures for coordinating the response of different aerodrome agencies (or services) and of those agencies in the surrounding community that could be of assistance in responding to the emergency. Source: ICAO Annex 14 OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Objective of Emergency Preparedness Exercise • Any plan is virtually useless without an effective testing and review process. • Testing should be designed to determine: • State of readiness of individual departments to cope with a major disaster. • Ability of multiple departments and support units to effectively work together. • Whether the plan has been properly updated and maintained. • Plans must be tested periodically to: • • • • Prove the workability of the plan. Verify resource availability. Identify weak links in the plan allowing for these to be corrected. Eliminate errors and omissions in the plan. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Aerodrome Agencies Agencies on the Aerodrome: • • • • • • • Air traffic control units. Rescue and fire fighting services. Aerodrome administration. Medical and ambulance services. Aircraft operators. Security services. Police. Agencies off the Aerodrome: • Fire department. • Police. • Health authorities. • Medical, ambulance, hospital and public health services. • Government authorities. • Military. • Harbor patrol or coast guard. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Airport Emergency Exercises Type of Emergency Exercise Schedule for Testing Emergency Plan Scope Full-Scale Exercise At least once every two years. Airport emergency plan must be given full-scale emergency exercise to test all facilities and associated agencies at intervals not exceeding two years. The exercise should be followed by a full debriefing, critique and analysis. Representatives of all organizations which participate in the exercise should actively participate in the critique. Partial Exercise Tabletop Exercise At least once each year that a full-scale exercise is not held or as required to maintain proficiency. Requires for some of the participating units to train new personnel, evaluate new equipment or technologies, or to comply with mandatory recurrent training requirements. At least once each six months, except during that six month period when a full-scale exercise is held. Tests the integration and capability of emergency response resources without the expense and disruption of services incurred by a full-scale exercise. Ensures the adequacy of the response to individual participating agencies and components of the plan, and that deficiencies found during the full-scale exercise have been corrected. Simplest to stage, requiring only a meeting room, a large map of the airport and a senior representative of each participating unit in attendance. Quickly reveals operational problems. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Emergencies or Crises in an Airport Terminal Possible emergencies or crises that can affect an airport terminal: • Aircraft emergency. • Aircraft crash. • Bomb warning on aircraft. • Bomb warning in the terminal. • Unlawfully seized aircraft. • Fire in the terminal. • Mass casualties on arriving aircraft. • Natural disasters. Possible Actions following an Emergency or Crisis in an Airport Terminal OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE • • • • • • Sectional closure of the terminal. Normal operations of the terminal may be affected. Need for crowd control. Next-of-Kin management at the terminal. Attending to the media (journalists and reporters). Evacuation of the terminal. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Next-of-Kin (NOK) Management • In a disaster when lives are lost, families are likely to be shocked, distraught, emotionally weak and overwhelmed, angry and distressed. • Sizable number of NOKs are likely to be in the airport especially for arriving flights. • If poorly managed, the image of all relevant agencies can be severely damaged. • The Press must be managed properly, NOKs will be approached, misinformation might occur. • Public opinion will be negative. • Recovery will be difficult. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Relative Holding Area (RHA) • For the registration of NOK. • Special security measures around the RHA is required to prevent media harassment and protect NOK. • Provides information and updates on the disaster, casualty figures and status. • Provides comfort, emotional support, care and assistance as well as attending to the needs of the NOK. • Facilitate NOK requests: • Visit to crash site (flights, special departure and arrival procedures), religious rites. • Repatriation of mortal remains (or mass burial activities), and retrieval of victims’ belongings. • Manage the ground transportation needs of NOK. • Example: Special taxi services, car park facilitation. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Private Matching Area (PMA) • Coordinate the matching process between NOK and uninjured survivors. • Ensure smooth and discreet departure of the uninjured and NOK from the airport. • Manage security, immigration and customs processes of uninjured and their families. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Objective of Crisis Communications • To mitigate potential reputational damage by providing credible, accurate information about an unfolding crisis situation as rapidly as possible and to demonstrate that the organization is responding in a professional, planned and appropriate manner. • Key Challenge Faced: To maintain public confidence in the company, and in its leadership team. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Principles of Crisis Communication 1) Speed of Response. • Aim to issue first comment, acknowledging that it is aware of the incident, within 15 minutes. • The company will be perceived as disorganized or floundering in its response if it fails to keep pace with the developing story online. 2) Accepting Responsibility. • After an accident or serious incident, company and other parties involved should be seen to accept responsibility for managing the consequences of the event, and this should be the focus of their communications response. • This does not imply accepting liability or culpability for the accident itself, but means that the company will provide humanitarian support for any survivors, and for the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew members. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Principles of Crisis Communication 3) Appropriate Messaging. • The content and tone of public statements, particularly in the early stages of a crisis is critical in positioning the company as a responsible, well-managed organization which is committed to “doing the right thing”. • Statements should acknowledge the facts and describe the actions taken to date, while expressing concern for those affected. • All questions on the potential causes and the progress of the investigation should be referred to the investigating body. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Principles of Crisis Communication 4) Knowing the Audiences. • It is easy to become fixated on the demands of the news media after an accident or major incident, but company and other involved parties will need to communicate with multiple other audiences. • Front-line employees should be briefed on what they can say in response to questions about the situation from customers or members of the public, who may decide to share what they are told via social media. • Marketing and advertising campaigns should be reviewed, to check that they do not contain inappropriate messaging or images – for example, a promotional campaign featuring an aircraft type, or a route, which has just been involved in an accident. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Principles of Crisis Communication 5) Maintaining Credibility. • One of the key objectives for any organization in a crisis must be to establish and maintain credibility. • Ultimately depends on the audience’s perception of the honesty and sincerity of the statements made. • There should be no “credibility gap” between words and actions. 6) Expressing Regret. • Companies which fail to express regret or sympathy for those affected can expect to be severely criticized, particularly if there has been loss of life or serious injuries. Their relationships and standing within the local community may also be damaged. • A carefully-worded expression of regret, which does not specifically admit liability or blame, can play a critical role in establishing a positive view of the company involved, and will ease the recovery of its business. OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE Principles of Crisis Communication 7) Coordinating with Other Parties. • Parties must coordinate release of information to ensure basic facts are consistent and minimize perception of “finger-pointing”. 8) The Impact of Statements on Others. • Any aviation accident or serious incident raises questions about safety. Public confidence in the aviation industry may be damaged if individual airlines, manufacturers, service providers or regulators appear to be trying to protect their own reputation by deflecting blame or “pointing the finger” at someone else. • Safety should not be a competitive issue. Crisis Communication: OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE What Cannot be said to the Media • • • • • • The cause of the incident/ accident. Who is to blame. What is to blame. The identities of the victims. The investigation. How much compensation will be paid (unless agreed in advance). • What actions the airline/ airport/ authorities will take as a result of the accident. Crisis Communication: OFFICIAL (CLOSED) \ NON-SENSITIVE What Can be said to the Media • What the airport/ airline is doing to help the survivors and loved ones of the victims. • How the airline/ airport is co-operating with the relevant authorities. • The airline’s excellent safety record. • The dedication and professionalism of its employees. • The excellent safety record of the industry generally.