Be careful when you question a miracle. You just might get yourself excommunicated.
That’s the difficult position that bloggers find themselves in as they ponder the aftermath of the remarkable crash-landing of US Airways flight 1549, in which no one was killed.
The flight data recorders were still submerged in the Hudson, and the National Transportation Safety Board had just begun its investigation into the accident, but that didn’t stop the mainstream media from canonizing pilot Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III. The preliminary findings suggest he and his crew saved the day.
But shouldn’t we wait until the NTSB finishes its work before Sully gets a street named after him? Or at least until he talks to us?
Are we even allowed to ask those questions without incurring the wrath of survivors and airline apologists?
Here’s another taboo question: Is it appropriate to bring up the subject of how US Airways is spinning this event? Our friends over at Jaunted did just that over the weekend.
It’s hard to deny that the flying public suddenly feels a little bit more goodwill toward US Airways than they did prior to the accident. Just think: if you’re an airline, and you have to have an accident, this is exactly the kind of accident you want to have, one that: a) Is in no way your fault (blame those darn Canadian geese), and b) Demonstrates that you hire the very best pilots in the business.
The Jaunted post requires a little context. US Airways’ latest numbers are below average, and it is the only major carrier to charge passengers for soft drinks and bottled water. Is the spin enough to steer a little traffic in US Airways’ direction?
Does asking that kind of question cross a line?
Or how about this one: US Airways has an employee portal called The Hub. The front page is viewable by anyone. There’s information about Flight 1549 on it, but the details aren’t accessible to the public. I spoke with a US Airways representative about The Hub on Friday, and was told that the information was no different from what the public was being given.
Is it appropriate to wonder what’s behind the firewall?
I think we have a duty to ask questions the mainstream media is unwilling — or unable — to. I think it’s right to wait until the NTSB issues its final report before bestowing the burden of sainthood on Sully; it’s fair to wonder how US Airways is spinning this event.
And it’s appropriate to ask why any information about Flight 1549 is not available to the general public.
Update: I’ve closed the comments on this post because many of them violated our terms of service. Thank you.
