Defining “best practice” for the Global Aviation Industry in the digital age

 Global Communications Consulting has worked with IATA since 2011 to define “Best Practice” in crisis communications in the Digital Age. The first guide to crisis communications planning for the aviation industry, written by Global Managing Consultant John Bailey, was published by IATA in 2012 and has subsequently been updated every two years in response to the changing external environment and to structural changes in the industry itself. The latest version, published in March 2019 and available on the IATA website (www.iata.org/publications/Pages/crisis-communications-guidelines.aspx), also contains guidance on managing new categories of reputation risk for airlines, airports, manufacturers and other industry stakeholders. This includes cyber threats and “values” issues which can quickly escalate into social media storms in today’s “always on” communication environment.  The Best Practice initiative includes delivering presentations and exercises at IATA aviation communicators’ conferences around the world. Since 2012, this has included speaking at IATA events in Bangkok, Beijing, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Miami, Seoul, Singapore and Toronto. Global Communications also developed IATA’s own crisis communications manual and is currently working on an organisation-wide initiative to enhance IATA’s crisis management capabilities.