30 days have passed since AirAsia flight QZ 8501 disappeared from radar screens 43 minutes into its flight from Surabaya to Singapore. Up-to-date reports put the count of recovered bodies at 70 out of a 162 passengeers.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes made a pledge to friends and family of the crew that he will make it his priority to bring their bodies to their homes. He even accompanied the first crew member retrieved from the sea to her home.
Reports have underscored CEO Fernandes' personal touch in the wake of this tragedy. His immediate announcement on Facebook confirming the disappearance of AirAsia 8501 was tiimely and appropriate.
The AirAsia CEO frequently took to Twitter to communicate updated information and other info that would be of assistance to relatives of victims. He also offered to fly relatives to Indonesia's airport in Surabaya so they could catch up on updates themselves.
These attributes are starkly different from the way the Malaysian government handled the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH370- taking little responsibility for disseminating information.
Scott Pettet, vice president of APAC, LEWIS PR said in a report by Marketing-interactive.com, "In terms of AirAsia and Tony Fernandes himself, I think they have done an excellent job. Their response has been swift and comprehensive. Fernandes' personal touch is befitting of the AirAsia brand and of his high-profile as CEO."
Looking back at the eventful mishaps that occurred on three airlines headquartered in Malaysia, the AirAsia incident stands out because the group showed more accountability for the lives lost, and they provided information with as much transparency as possible. The joint collaboration of the Indonesian military and AirAsia was commendable.
Tony Fernandes has set a new standard in approach crisis in the aviation industry and it is a lesson for other carriers as airplane safety needs to be reassessed in Southeast Asia.
