American fires web designer for responding to user complaint

[tdew]

American Airlines has fired a web-design employee for responding to a blog post from a "disgruntled user," the Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/6531610/American-Airlines-worker-fired-for-replying-to-web-user-complaint.html) of London reports. According to the Telegraph, AA fired the worker because he disclosed sensitive information about the company, a violation of a non-disclosure agreement he had signed as part of his employment at AA. The worker, so far identified only as "Mr. X," apparently unwittingly stepped into the spotlight when he replied to a scathing critique of the airline's website that was posted by an unhappy customer named Dustin Curtis. The lengthy rant by Curtis was posted in the form of an open-letter to American (http://dustincurtis.com/dear_american_airlines.html). The letter finished with the suggestion that AA fire its team of web designers.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=620001197.blog&csp=Travel

[mtp51]

Not a bad idea. I think American's site is in need of an extreme overhaul. It's just tired.....

[Loonbeam]

Oddly enough, I don't find this designers website all that great. But with that said, Mr. X gave a cogent and honest response, and his points are all valid. And while some of that response might technically be 'inside' information, in reality its something anyone in an IT position in a large company is familiar with.

They fired him for one reason, really. "You're right."