The past fortnight delivered a masterclass in crisis communication management, courtesy of Nigeria’s aviation sector. Two high-profile incidents involving passengers on domestic flights demonstrated how quickly reputation can unravel when media relations strategy is absent or reactive.
The incidents began with Fuji legend Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM1) receiving a flight ban after an altercation with ValueJet staff at Abuja airport on August 5th, followed by Ms. Comfort Emmanson’s violent incident on Ibom Air flight Q9 303 from Uyo to Lagos on August 10th. What unfolded next revealed the power dynamics that shape public discourse when a communications strategy fails.
THE COST OF REACTIVE COMMUNICATION
Both incidents began as routine operational challenges—unruly passenger behaviour that airlines manage regularly. However, the communication vacuum allowed narratives to spiral beyond corporate control. Social media amplified every detail, while stakeholders, ranging from government ministers to professional associations, issued competing statements that complicated the messaging landscape.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) eventually lifted Ms. Emmanson’s lifetime ban following intervention by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo. The fact that government intervention was required to resolve customer service incidents reveals how operational matters escalate into political and reputational crises without strategic communication frameworks.
When organisations operate without comprehensive media relations strategies, they inevitably respond to narratives shaped by external forces rather than driving conversations aligned with their objectives.
The airlines discovered that operational decisions made without considering communication implications create reputational challenges extending far beyond immediate incidents.
MEDIA TRAINING AS STRATEGIC INSURANCE
These events underscore why media training represents an invaluable investment in organisational resilience.
The spokesperson who navigates hostile questioning while maintaining message discipline becomes crucial when routine operations face intense public scrutiny. Conversely, unprepared leaders often amplify problems they seek to resolve.
Effective media training prepares executives for the reality that modern crises unfold across multiple platforms simultaneously. Traditional media interviews, social media responses, stakeholder communications, and internal messaging must align to create coherent narratives serving organisational interests while addressing legitimate public concerns.
The aviation crisis illustrates how local incidents attract national attention when they involve themes resonating with broader public concerns about service quality, corporate accountability, or social justice. Organisations that understand this dynamic often prepare leadership teams to address not just immediate facts, but implications for larger stakeholder concerns.
PREPARING FOR WAR IN TIMES OF PEACE
The most sophisticated media training programs simulate authentic crisis conditions—aggressive questioning, time pressure, incomplete information, and balancing competing stakeholder interests while maintaining consistent messaging. This preparation transforms potentially defensive responses into confident, strategic communication advancing organisational objectives during challenging circumstances.
Organisations viewing media training as compliance exercises rather than strategic capability development find themselves inadequately prepared when real crises emerge.
The aviation incidents will be studied as examples of how communication choices during operational challenges affect corporate reputations. Forward-thinking executives recognise that media relations capabilities represent competitive advantages, becoming most valuable when most difficult to develop—during crises.
As I close out, I would like you to reflect: is your organisation positioned to shape media narratives and manage stakeholder relationships during a crisis, or will your communication be reactive, allowing external forces to shape your narrative?
If your reflection requires you to reach out to mosroncommunications@gmail.com for our media training service, don’t hesitate.