Flight Sq006 Case Study

Crash of Flight SQ006 at Chiang Kai-Shek Airport, Taipei

Singapore Airlines’ Flight SQ006 crash at Chiang Kai-Shek Airport, Taipei was an unintentional; unforeseeable technical interaction crisis. This makes the crash of SQ006 in the accidental cluster; there is low attribution of crisis responsibility of Singapore Airlines.

On October 31, 2000, Flight SQ006, departing from Taipei’s Chiang Kai-Shek Airport, forever changed the impeccable flying record Singapore Airlines was so proud of. Eleven seconds after take off, at 11:18p.m., about 3,930 ft. into the takeoff roll, the aircraft’s undercarriage hit construction equipment and came crashing down. The plane broke into three parts and erupted into a ball of flames.

Of the 159 passengers

This compromised the public’s trust in Singapore Airlines for being safe, not wanting to fly via Singapore Airlines for fear that an air crash would happen when they are on that carrier.

Types of damage caused by the SQ006 crash

Despite the effects of the crash of SQ006, Singapore Airlines was able to maintain its position as one of the world’s most admired companies. This is evident as about one and a half years after the crash, Singapore Airlines came up sixth position in a survey of top executives, directors, and securities analysts regarding Fortune 1000 companies. Also, in 2003, Singapore Airlines was the second most admired airlines in the world. Such performance in ranking so close to the SQ006 crash illuminates that the crash did not greatly hurt SIA’s reputation and that it still commands respect from its peers and competitors.

There was a great significance of SQ006’s crash in a global environment. Firstly, SQ006 was transboundary in nature; multiple stakeholders from different countries – Singapore as Singapore Airlines is the national carrier, Taipei as it was there the accident happened, and the countries the passengers of SQ006 were from, were affected and also crossed time

First, press releases were issued and press conferences were held quickly to accommodate journals and feed them the information they desired. Second, adequate medical care and excessive compensation packages were made promptly to help the victims and their family members. Third, the successfully directed the public eye to focus on the investigation.

Part 2: Analysis of Crisis Management and Communication Strategy adopted by Singapore Airlines

Key Messages

The key messages Singapore Airlines used in the context of crash SQ006 are:

“They are our pilots, it was our aircraft, and the aircraft should not have been on that runway. And, as I say, we accept full responsibility”

- Dr. Cheong, Chairman and CEO of Singapore Airlines

“This is a terrible, terrible tragedy, and it is one that we are deeply, deeply sorry about.”

“Our priority is to do whatever is necessary to help provide for people’s