What are the best practices for applying crisis management frameworks to airport management?

1 Understand the context

Before developing a crisis management plan, airport managers need to understand the context of their airport, including its mission, vision, values, stakeholders, resources, capabilities, and vulnerabilities. They also need to identify the potential sources and impacts of crises, as well as the legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations that apply to their airport. A thorough context analysis can help airport managers anticipate and prevent crises, as well as align their actions with their strategic goals and stakeholder expectations.

3 Develop a crisis plan

A crisis plan is a document that outlines the policies, procedures, and protocols for managing a crisis at the airport. The plan should cover the following aspects: the objectives and scope of the plan, the activation and escalation criteria, the communication channels and strategies, the roles and responsibilities of the crisis team and other stakeholders, the resources and tools available, the contingency and recovery plans, and the evaluation and revision mechanisms. A comprehensive and updated crisis plan can provide a clear and consistent guidance for the airport to cope with any crisis scenario.

4 Communicate effectively

Communication is a key element of crisis management, as it can influence the perceptions, emotions, and behaviors of the internal and external stakeholders of the airport. Airport managers need to communicate effectively with their employees, customers, partners, media, regulators, and community during and after a crisis. They need to provide accurate, timely, and transparent information, as well as express empathy, accountability, and commitment. They also need to monitor and address the feedback and concerns of their stakeholders, as well as manage the reputation and image of their airport. Effective communication can help airport managers build trust, confidence, and cooperation among their stakeholders.

5 Learn from the experience

After a crisis is resolved, airport managers need to learn from the experience and improve their crisis management capabilities. They need to conduct a post-crisis evaluation to assess the performance and outcomes of their crisis management efforts, as well as identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They also need to implement the lessons learned and best practices to update their context analysis, crisis team, crisis plan, and communication strategies. Learning from the experience can help airport managers prevent or mitigate future crises, as well as enhance their resilience and performance.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?