Allegiant Air – All hands on the flight deck
All hands on the flight deck: crisis communications management keeps Allegiant Air’s brand flying high.
Allegiant Air, a standout in the low-cost airline arena, faced a major crisis. With a strike threat from the Teamsters looming over the Easter holiday, over 250 flights and thousands of passengers were at risk of disruption. Allegiant turned to us at R&R Partners to navigate this storm.
With just 72 hours to develop a response, we jumped into action, embedding ourselves with Allegiant’s team to get ahead of the issue. Our first move was anticipating the strike, advising Allegiant to alert passengers and offer full refunds. This proactive stance placed Allegiant in control, shifting the narrative and building passenger trust. We took command of their social media, providing real-time updates and guiding distressed passengers to resources.
Next, we launched a crisis-specific microsite to manage passenger inquiries and absorb negative feedback, protecting Allegiant’s main channels. The site also facilitated nearly 1,500 direct messages from passengers to Teamsters’ leadership, urging them to reconsider the strike and bringing a human element to the bargaining table.
“WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.”
Steve Harfst, Allegiant’s COO
Our bold tactics left the Teamsters flat-footed, allowing Allegiant to maintain its operations without cancellations. A court order averted the strike, ensuring passengers enjoyed their holidays. Post-crisis, Allegiant saw a booking surge, a testament to the trust we helped preserve.
Our crisis management safeguarded Allegiant’s reputation and reinforced customer confidence, once again proving that R&R Partners is the fearless advocate in any storm.