American Airlines Flies the Pretty Skies
Summary of American Airlines and “Face of Your Base”
American Airlines (AA) has been catching flack from the media since May 4, for what appears to be the airline’s internal campaign to run a quasi-beauty contest amongst its flight attendants. During the first week of May, the Fort Worth-based airline began a contest called “Face of Your Base,” which appealed to all its flight attendants to vote on a male and female representative from each base who looked the most “superb” modeling the airline’s new uniforms. The winners would then be selected to model the uniforms in the company’s internal newsletters and other marketing materials. According to the airline, the point of the contest, devised by a team of AA flight attendants and field managers, is to promote team camaraderie. “This campaign is about celebrating the hard work and diversity of our flight attendants, while giving them the opportunity to spotlight their peers who live the American brand.” While AA claims many flight attendants have said they are flattered to be nominated for their bases, the company also emphasizes the contest does not require AA flight attendants to participate, as it is their choice. Contest guidelines and rules are not available.
Despite its good intentions with the introduction of “Face of Your Base,” the airline has incurred the ire of many AA flight attendants, including the flight attendants’ union, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. Laura Glading, president of the union, stated, “This campaign just transported us back 50 years to the days of girdles, weight checks and single, female-only stewardesses having to quit when they were married, pregnant or reached the ripe old age of 30.” Glading also urged AA flight attendants to boycott AA’s campaign, calling it a “ridiculous, insulting beauty contest.” The union’s main issue with “Face of Your Base” is that it emphasizes physical appearance over job competency—an association with the job role that the union and many flight attendants have worked to dispel over the last three decades. Despite the airline’s position that the contest fosters employee engagement and pride in the airline, the union contends the contest has an adverse affect on flight attendants who may resent the implications of the ‘modeling’ aspect.
Consumers have overwhelmingly reacted in contempt of the union and flight attendants. A sampling of commenter feedback on the stories published by online news outlets reveals the following:
· Yawn...let's see once again an union is trying to interfere with one of their own member's right to choose...my goodness, give AA some credit to attempt to put forth an appealing face in their marketing. People are attracted to "pretty" people!
· Here's guessing the FA Rep is fugly and upset she wouldn't have been nominated even 20 years ago as one of AA's or any airlines best looking attendants.
· I am mostly a pro-union guy but they need to just chill out on this one.
Other than respond to reporter inquiries, AA has not issued statements on its website, Twitter feed or Facebook page in regard to this controversy.
Reaction/Analysis to American Airlines and “Face of Your Base”
Considering this issue was an internal issue that became external once the union voiced its dissent, my reaction to AA is that it did a good job responding to media inquiries, while not furthering the controversy by issuing statements on its website and social media accounts that cater to consumers. The company was smart not to ignore the media and smarter still not to refer to consumer opinion in its official responses. If it had referenced consumer support, it would have done itself a disservice by catering to the lowest common denominator (based on commenter feedback), as well as undermined its position that “Face of Your Base” was for team building—not consumer building. AA’s strategic response helped it gain a good standing with the general public and win the PR battle over the union.
Other factors that may have contributed to this short-lived media story having worked in AA’s favor are the long-standing animosity between the union and the airline, and the timing for when it broke. According to media speculation, the union may have had an ulterior motive in protesting AA’s contest due to unresolved contract negotiations since 2008. As a way to expedite contract proceedings, the union may have wanted to start a public fight in the hopes of bolstering its public image. If that was the case, it obviously backfired for the union since the general public felt the flight attendants overreacted. Finally, the fact that the story broke less than a week after the royal wedding and three days after Osama Bin Laden’s death probably worked to AA’s benefit, as the media obsession with these two prior stories was fairly strong.
