Lessons from another airline traversing turbulent skies

Who’d be a regional airline operator in Australia?

News of Rex Airlines going into voluntary administration came hot on the heels of Bonza’s reputation disaster when it collapsed a few months ago.

But in Rex’s case, the administrators are doing a commendable job in at least being clear about what the impacts are and what’s likely to happen next.

• The website explains which Rex flights are cancelled and what’s still operating.
• An email sent to current and past Rex customers introduces the administrators and sets out what’s happening.
• A video included in the email adds a personal touch from administrator Sam Freeman.

If you were booked on a cancelled Rex fight and are now scrambling to adjust your plans, you’re probably not feeling kindly towards the airline right now, and that’s understandable.

But from a communication point of view, there are some solid takeaways from Rex’s actions:

1. When it hits the fan, people want clarity and certainty. Don’t sugar-coat what happened; explain in plain language what’s going on and what you expect to happen next. Avoid trying to justify or defend.
2. Acknowledge, with sincerity, any human impacts. Don’t just talk about facts and figures if staff have been laid off and the public inconvenienced.
3. Foreshadow the long-term plan, even if you can’t give details; for example, that you’re confident the issue can be worked through, or that some other course of action may be on the cards. In volatile times, illuminate a path forward if you can.

Hopefully Rex can get its whole fleet back in the air again. In the meantime, let’s also hope communication continues to flow freely.

In the Credible Leader series, Dr Neryl East shares her take on the credibility of leaders in the spotlight. Neryl is a speaker, facilitator and adviser who helps organizations develop credible leaders and connect teams.