Case Study
Star Alliance
OVERVIEW
Period: 2010-2019 (Assignment-based)
Region: Global
Sector: Airline Industry
Plane Talking provided crisis communications consulting, training and simulation exercises to Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, supporting its 28 member airlines operating more than 5,000 aircraft and serving over 1,300 airports in 195 countries. Working closely with Star Alliance's Corporate Office, we designed and delivered customised crisis communications programmes that strengthened the alliance's ability to coordinate communications during major aviation emergencies involving multiple member airlines. Activities were conducted in Warsaw, Shenzhen, Istanbul, Singapore and Frankfurt. We partnered with Star Alliance to develop practical training and realistic simulations that reflected the operational complexity of a global airline alliance, where member airlines from different countries, cultures and ownership structures may need to respond collectively to a single crisis. We delivered these assignments as a partner of BHK Crisis Communications (from 2015) and previously as an associate of Kenyon International (2002–2014).
Services Provided
Strategy ‒ Worked with Star Alliance's Corporate Office to develop crisis communications programmes tailored to the alliance's operational structure, governance and emergency response objectives.
Training Development and Delivery ‒ Designed and delivered customised crisis communications courses incorporating aviation case studies, practical exercises and media engagement techniques to strengthen participants' preparedness and confidence.
Crisis Communications Simulations ‒ Designed and facilitated large-scale, real-time crisis simulation exercises involving representatives from all 28 member airlines. Scenarios tested communications coordination, decision-making and resource-sharing during complex multi-airline emergencies, identifying opportunities to strengthen alliance procedures.
Workshops ‒ Developed and presented interactive workshops focused on crisis leadership, media relations, stakeholder communications and lessons learned from aviation incidents, adapting content to regional and operational requirements.
Advisory Support ‒ Provided ongoing counsel to Star Alliance on crisis communications planning and media-related issues affecting the alliance and its member airlines.
Notable Projects
Baltic Region Crisis Communications Programme (2011) ‒ Developed and delivered a tailored crisis communications training programme for Star Alliance member airlines in the Baltic region. The course combined aviation case studies with practical media training to equip communications managers with the skills required to respond confidently during major airline emergencies.
Global Alliance Crisis Simulation (2015) ‒ Designed and facilitated a full-scale, real-time simulation of a mass-fatality airline accident involving representatives from all 28 Star Alliance member airlines. The exercise tested the alliance's crisis communications and coordination processes across multiple airlines, cultures and jurisdictions, helping identify improvements to joint response procedures.
International Crisis Communications Workshops (2015-2019) ‒ Developed and delivered a series of workshops focused on crisis communications, emergency preparedness and lessons from major aviation incidents. The programmes strengthened collaboration and knowledge-sharing among communications and emergency response leaders from across the alliance.
"On behalf of the 28 member airlines of Star Alliance we entrusted Plane Talking over a period of more than a decade with several assignments such as the planning and execution of several joint Crisis Management / Communications exercises. Over the years he was an always accessible and highly knowledgeable advisor on ‒ at times ‒ complex media and communications related issues concerning the African continent and beyond."
— Christian Klick, Vice President: Corporate Communications, Star Alliance (Ret.)
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