Airports: Get in the 'Spirit' of Using Incident Management Software

“Canceled flights, kerfuffles at the ticket counter, clashes with local law enforcement — it's fair to say that neither customers nor Spirit Airlines staff members intended their night to unfold this way at Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport,” writes Colin Dwyer in their latest NPR article entitled “Brouhaha Breaks Out At Spirit Airlines' Ticket Counter. Here's The Back Story.”

“Yet that's precisely the scene that hit social media Monday, as cellphone footage depicting the fallout found eyeballs around the world. Naturally, widespread media coverage followed soon afterward,” the article continues.

It gets worse, though.

According to Dwyer, “Before long, images of customers irate over the cancellation of nine flights had spattered across Twitter and Instagram.”

But, what caused this nightmare?

“It's just the latest incident in a series of black eyes for the airline industry — including so many recorded confrontations that even Congress got involved last week. But the skirmishes that broke out between passengers, employees and Broward County deputies Monday night called attention to a different set of circumstances: a deepening dispute between the airline and many of its pilots,” explains Dwyer.

We see here that the plot thickens, and the airport is not to blame.

But, the incident did occur at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, which immediately becomes a cause for concern.

The concern doesn’t only stem from this airport being one of our valued clients, but because the incident did happen on airport premises – even it was between customers and Spirit Airlines.

So, how does an airport protect itself from the ripple effect of an incident such as this?

Incident Management Software Protects Your Organization

Many outside factors can create a stir for your Airport.

For Fort Lauderdale this week, it was the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) that caused the commotion.

Unfortunately, events like this can occur on your property, and the backlash might even come your way.

You must protect your organization against potential liability.

A court of law requires extensive documentation. Your airport requires extensive documentation too.

But the problem is, you’re not obtaining the information you need without incident management software in place.

Your police, medical, and administration departments are writing this information with pen and paper while dealing with the complexity of the chaos.

Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport possesses video surveillance, a viral social media video, and many various witness accounts of the fight and what caused it.

What can you do to protect your liability?

Have all of this information gathered and accessible to your team. Your incident management software keeps your airport out of the crosshairs.

To enhance your documentation capabilities, and liability protection, incident management software provides you with four valuable functions:

1. Digital Paper Trail
2. Link Incidents
3. Lock Incidents
4. Custom Reporting Fields

1. Digital Paper Trail

Consider what Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport might need to obtain.

Digitally capture all communication, event details, and related documents, from video to audio, and written witness statements.

How powerful would this be for your airport?

You can even enhance your ability to secure this information while on-scene.

Not only do you gain complete and accurate accounts of the incident, but you also have an extensive digital trail of everything that occurred, even if there is a legal case that arises several years later.

2. Link Incidents

A police officer tackles a suspect, knocks over a bystander in the process, and the witness hits their head on a ticket counter.

You have new incidents to report, right?

Medical must tend to the injured victim, which leads to a report by medical, police, and airport administration.

Your software lets you link this incident to the arrest incident, and any other incident that occurs during this “brouhaha.”

If your airport director and legal representation appear in court, they have every detail of the occurrence.

Get in the spirit of Proactive Operations today.

3. Lock Incidents

Overseeing a major incident is a heavy responsibility. You must take every step seriously. You must cover all bases to protect your airport.

Your incident management system lets you lock your incidents.

Whether it be accidental or intentional, prevent outside personnel from corrupting evidence.

You don’t need an internal investigation on your hands. Agree?

Locking the incident, and all related incidents, prevents further changes from that point moving forward. Only you have the ability to access the incident.

Your system will also time stamp and track the incident’s history. See who accessed the incident details and when they accessed them.

4. Custom Reporting Fields

Every airport has its reporting requirements.

• The Air Line Pilots Association requires documentation
• Spirit Airlines has their reporting requirements
• Broward County deputies file a report
• Emergency responders have reports

Why not simplify the process to capture all the details?

Create custom fields in your incident details forms to duplicate agency forms that are required by each department that is unique to your airport.

This streamlines the flow of information and data for your organization.

Now, you’re protected when you have to appear in court!

Over to You

Does liability protection top the list of priorities at your airport? It should.

Use incident management software to capture comprehensive details of everything that occurs on your property.

Get in the spirit of protecting your airport from liability!