| Course | AVT-3050 Airline Marketing and Customer Service |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Written Assignment 3: airline communication, social media and digital advertising |
| Length | About 729 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Aviation Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for AVT 3050 Module 3
Before the First Flight, Plan for the Worst Day: Communication Lessons From Malaysia Airlines for Boardwalk Air
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Aviation Management, Thomas Edison State University
AVT-3050: Airline Marketing and Customer Service
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Before the First Flight, Plan for the Worst Day: Communication Lessons From Malaysia Airlines for Boardwalk Air
Introduction
Most airline communication is routine: fare sales, schedule news and posts about destinations. But the same channels carry the airline's voice on its worst day. This paper uses the Malaysia Airlines case to draw lessons about crisis communication and then plans both everyday and crisis communication for Boardwalk Air.
The Malaysia Airlines Case
In March 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard. In July 2014, flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard. Pandey and Singh (2015) describe the marketing challenge that followed: an airline already losing money now faced grieving families, intense global media attention and customers who avoided its flights. Families of MH370 passengers criticized the airline and the Malaysian government for confusing and sometimes contradictory information in the first weeks, and some were first told by text message that the aircraft was presumed lost. The airline was later taken fully under state ownership and restructured.
Reading the Case Through Crisis Communication Theory
Coombs (2007) argues that the right response to a crisis depends on how much responsibility the public assigns to the organization. When an organization is seen as a victim, as with an attack it could not prevent, it should focus on instructing and caring for those affected. When it is seen as more responsible, stronger responses such as apology and compensation are needed. A history of earlier crises makes the public assign more responsibility.
Read this way, Malaysia Airlines faced two crises in four months. MH17 was closer to a victim crisis, since the aircraft was struck by a missile over a conflict zone, although questions about flying that route were raised. MH370 was a mystery, and uncertainty made the communication harder: with no facts, inconsistent statements were taken as evasion. Because the second crisis came soon after the first, the public was quicker to blame the airline. The lesson is that communication in the first hours sets how responsibility is perceived, and consistency matters as much as speed.
Social Media's Double Role
Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) define social media as internet tools through which users themselves produce and share content, which means companies no longer control the conversation about them. In a crisis, customers, families and journalists post before the airline can confirm facts. In everyday marketing, the same feature is an opportunity: travelers share photos and reviews that reach their friends more credibly than advertising.
Boardwalk Air's Launch Communication Plan
The budget in this scenario favors search and social advertising aimed at the four-county catchment, since these reach families and seasonal residents when they are planning trips. Messages stress three things: nonstop flights from close to home, short airport lines and a friendly local airline.
| Channel | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (website, app, email) | Booking and service information | Fare alerts for Florida flights; trip reminders |
| Social media | Awareness and community | Short videos of South Jersey families arriving in Florida; replies within an hour |
| Paid digital advertising | Reach target segments | Search ads for "Atlantic City to Orlando flights"; ads aimed at households in four counties |
| Local media and partners | Trust in the hometown brand | Radio spots; airport and casino partner promotions |
| Earned media | Credibility | Local news coverage of the first flight |
A Crisis Plan for a Small Airline
Boardwalk Air has five aircraft, so even a minor accident or a long run of cancellations would dominate its news. Drawing on the Malaysia Airlines case and Coombs (2007), the plan sets five rules. One trained spokesperson and one backup are named in advance. A first statement goes out within one hour, covering the confirmed facts, the open questions and the time of the next update. Families of passengers are contacted by phone by trained staff, never by text message alone. Social media updates match the official statement word for word. And the airline's advertising pauses automatically when a crisis begins, so promotional posts do not appear beside news of a serious event.
Conclusion
Malaysia Airlines' experience shows that a communication failure can deepen a tragedy and damage trust for years. For Boardwalk Air, the same channels that will build awareness of a new hometown airline must be ready, before the first flight, to carry clear and caring information on its worst day.
References
Coombs, W. T. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: The development and application of situational crisis communication theory. Corporate Reputation Review, 10(3), 163-176. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003
Pandey, N., & Singh, G. (2015). Malaysia Airlines: The marketing challenge after MH370 and MH17 (Case No. W15214). Ivey Publishing.
AVT 3050 Module 3 instructions, in plain terms
AVT-3050's third written assignment is matched to the third module, on communication, social media and digital advertising, which covers the first and third course objectives. Expect to analyze how airlines communicate through traditional, digital and social channels and to apply that analysis to an airline. The course requires a case study, Pandey and Singh's Malaysia Airlines: The Marketing Challenge After MH370 and MH17, which shows communication under the hardest conditions. Whether or not your assignment prompt names the case directly, it is the clearest source the course gives you on communication risk. Plan your fictional airline's channels and messages so the marketing plan's promotion section is half written. Plan at least one paid, one owned and one social channel for your airline, and say which segment each one reaches.
How this AVT 3050 Module 3 example is built
The sample starts by noting that routine and crisis communication share the same channels. It summarizes the Malaysia Airlines case factually, then reads it through Coombs's situational crisis communication theory, explaining why consistency mattered and why two crises in four months raised perceived responsibility. A section on social media uses Kaplan and Haenlein, and a margin note explains the paper's order. A five-row table lays out the fictional airline's launch channels, purposes and examples, followed by its core messages. A five-rule crisis plan sized for a small airline closes the analysis before a brief conclusion ties the two halves together. The paper treats the case respectfully and keeps its summary to verified public facts before drawing lessons.
Where the marks sit in the AVT 3050 Module 3 rubric
The evaluation rubric for written assignments rewards accurate use of course concepts, sound analysis of the case and practical application to the airline. A paper that uses a recognized theory to explain why a communication response helped or hurt shows more than a summary of news coverage. Mentors look for respectful, factual treatment of the Malaysia Airlines tragedies. The communication plan earns credit when channels match the target segments and messages follow from the airline's positioning. Including a crisis plan shows foresight. Outside sources found through the library, clear headings and correct APA citations complete a strong paper. A crisis plan with named roles and time limits shows more preparation than a promise to communicate well when something goes wrong.
Common AVT 3050 Module 3 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Papers lose credit when they retell the Malaysia Airlines story at length and draw no lessons, or when they judge the airline harshly without a framework. Others list every social platform without saying who each one reaches. Use a theory to analyze the case in a few paragraphs, then turn to your own airline. Match each channel to a segment and a purpose, give a sample message and plan for a crisis. Treat the victims and families respectfully and check every fact about the case. Cite the case study properly. A no-cost first draft of your AVT-3050 communication paper is yours on request. Keep the case summary short so most of your words go to analysis and to your own airline's plan.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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AVT 3050 Module 3 questions, answered
Where can I find a free AVT 3050 Module 3 sample paper?
The paper above draws communication lessons from the Malaysia Airlines case and plans launch and crisis communication for a fictional airline.
What happened to Malaysia Airlines in 2014?
Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people aboard, and flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014 with 298 aboard.
What is situational crisis communication theory?
Coombs's theory that an organization's crisis response should match how much responsibility the public assigns to it, with stronger responses when responsibility is higher.
How do airlines use social media?
For awareness, customer service and community in normal times, and for fast, consistent updates during disruptions and crises.
What case study does AVT-3050 require?
Pandey and Singh's case on Malaysia Airlines' marketing challenge after MH370 and MH17.