Germanwings (J424 #1)

You run through the terminal to make your quick connection and get to check-in with five minutes to spare. You struggle to your seat, buckle yourself in, take a breath, and, finally pay attention to your surroundings. Written on the safety pamphlets in the seat in front of you is "Germanwings." You tense and look around. The flight seems normal, but you’ve just read the news…

Most everyone has heard about the Germanwings Flight 9525 deadly crash by now—and has added their two cents about it. Quick background: the flight crashed into the Swiss Alps on March 24 after the co-pilot locked out the pilot and deliberately led the 149 passengers to their deaths (Kulish, Ewing). Later reports showed that Andreas Lubitz was suffering from severe depression and had reported it to Lufthansa but cleared the medical and psychological tests and was “found to be healthy” (Kulish, Ewing).

So what can a major airline like this do amid the the mental health controversy and the lawsuits likely coming from families who will sue under the provisions of the 1999 Montreal Convention (Kulish, Ewing)? How would you feel boarding a plane from a company with a recent incident like this, thinking that maybe it could happen to you?

A Germanwings pilot addressed his passengers on April 2 to reassure them about their flight (White). Passenger Hugh Roche Kelly recalled the scene of tension eased by the actions of this pilot and said, “he just wanted to come out and stand in front of everyone, and let all the passengers on his flight have a moment of eye contact with him, and for us to meet him and for him to meet us” (White)

Many comments on the New York Times post remarked on society's view of mental illness and how to characterize Lubitz's act (as sociopathic, depressed action, suicide, or terrorism) and blamed Luftansa (Kulish, Ewing). Despite these comments, it seems like the airline is doing something right and authentic that is resonating with its passengers—and keeping them using the airline.

Pilots taking initiative and promising the nervous people on their flights that they would “do everything to be with [their] family again” are helping to curb the frenzy that could potentially happen (White). Their heartfelt sentiments do not seem like a contrived campaign, but rather, a reassurance in the face of tragedy.

You look around again at the other passengers. Some seem as tense as you, others are preoccupied with their tablets or children. Then, the pilot steps out and addresses you all with a warm smile and a reassurance. It makes all the difference.

Some Sources:

Kulish, Nicholas, and Jack Ewing. "Lufthansa Says Germanwings Pilot Reported Deep Depression." The New York Times [New York, NY]. 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/world/europe/lufthansa-germanwings-andreas-lubitz.html?_r=1>.

White, Alan. "A Germanwings Pilot Reassured His Passengers By Letting Them Look Him In The Eye Before Takeoff." BuzzFeed. 3 Apr. 2015. Web. 6 Apr. 2015. <http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/a-germanwings-pilot-reassured-his-passengers-by-letting-them>.