Eric Starkman Eric Starkman 

I’m one of perhaps many PR professionals who believe United’s gross mishandling of the forcible removal of a passenger isn't going to adversely impact the airline’s business in the long term. Yes, the video showing the battered passenger is horrific, yes United’s appalling communications response made matters worse, and yes United’s brand has been badly bloodied. In the 1960s, when the “Friendly Skies of United” was introduced and brand perception mattered, the incident could have led to the airline’s demise.

But the airline industry is now a commodity business, and travelers make their purchasing decisions based on price, convenience, and where they can rack up the most frequent flyer miles. United’s customer service had been mediocre for years, but that hasn’t prevented the airline from posting healthy profits and seeing its stock price double since last summer (and triple in five years). None of United’s biggest corporate customers have expressed public outrage over the incident, which contrary to what’s been widely reported, had nothing to do with overbooking. Brett Snyder, an airline blogger I have long admired, does an excellent job setting the record straight.

Where United and the rest of the airline industry has a serious, looming problem involves how it’s going to forcibly remove passengers who flight attendants determine are belligerent or whose behavior they deem a threat. Until now, airlines could remove passengers without much protest from others in the cabin under the guise of security. Perceived safety of passengers and crew has always reigned supreme. The United debacle has violated that goodwill; passengers are now likely more readily inclined to view someone being forcibly removed from a plane as a victim rather than an instigator.

The United passenger who was forcibly removed reportedly was hospitalized and is allegedly a doctor with a controversial past. So, it’s possible he won’t want additional publicity. But under normal circumstances, he would’ve become an overnight media sensation, an “exclusive” guest on one of the morning shows and appearances on all the news shows. If United has even a modicum of sense, they would try to reach a settlement with him to avoid yet another news cycle of bad publicity.

There’s no shortage of people who would gladly be filmed being forcibly dragged off an airplane so they can enjoy their 15 minutes of fame. And one only has to shout, “I paid for my ticket” to elicit some immediate sympathy. The ousted United passenger was also of Asian descent, which sparked particular outrage in China, despite there being no evidence he was targeted because of his heritage. We live in a world where facts no longer matter.

Flying today involves surrendering one’s dignity, at least for those of us who fly coach. The modern boarding process borders on hostile, with poorly trained security personnel rudely shouting orders and often manhandling passengers. Even an even keeled person can become unhinged by the time they board a plane. Cramp everyone into a ridiculously tight space and you have a tinder box just ripe for an explosion. Flight attendants are under incredible pressure to ensure an on-time departure, so ordering the removal of someone who challenges their authority and causes a delay is their only option, further fostering a hostile cabin environment.

The airline industry operates on the belief that the public’s tolerance of abuse is endless. And the industry no doubt takes great comfort that the Trump Administration detests regulations, so it’s unlikely the government will step in and disrupt their ongoing ability to fleece and abuse the public. But the industry is naïve if it doesn’t view the United debacle as a watershed moment and immediately begins to articulate a uniform plan and strategy for when and how passengers can be forcibly removed from an airline cabin.

Cell phone cameras have made flying today a reality television show experience. Left unchecked, cabin violence is going to become an increasing occurrence. And a perceived lack of safety is the one metric where the flying public will draw the line. Any airline that doesn’t appreciate this risk will invariably have a PR crisis far greater than the one United is experiencing.

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Eric Starkman is co-founder and president of public relations firm STARKMAN.