I know the MH370 incident is not over, so it might be premature to talk about lessons to learn from it. But so very much has happened, we can talk about learning points for a long time to come. Flight MH370 will likely be one of the most talked about flights of all time. This era of Internet and social media connectedness, more people than ever are sharing with each other about their thoughts on MH370.
Last night, we heard the official announcement from the Prime Minister of Malaysia that flight MH370 has crashed in the southern Indian ocean, and that it is presumed that there are no survivors. Rest in peace, all the souls on MH370.
I’m a little puzzled, however, after all the relentless optimism on the part of the Malaysian government, that they should suddenly become to pragmatic and realistic about the fate of MH370. Granted, the conditions in the southern Indian ocean area really harsh, it is highly unlikely for anyone to survive, let alone for so many days. But this sudden announcement comes so unexpectedly.
Many of us are learning from MH370 more than we’d ever imagine about the mechanics of flight navigation, radio and satellite communications, safety procedures and numerous other topics. For example, the difference between primary radar and secondary radar are quite likely unfamiliar to most people prior to this incident. Many people will now be more aware of what goes on around them when they take their next flight.
But I think the most important lesson to be learnt is one about crisis management and crisis communication. I imagine the handling of flight MH370 is going to be one of the most scrutinised case study of what not to do in a crisis. Everything from the get go seemed to have been rather disastrous. From the delay in getting information out, to the ding-dong in reverse/opposite statements, the entire communication was just plain terrible. No one seems to know what is going on.
Worse, it seems quite certain to most people, that information was intentionally withheld. Or, that incorrect information was purposely given out. There was so much confusion concerning even the most basic facts surrounding the disappearance of flight MH370. What did the aircraft do, where did the aircraft go, what sort of communications were happening (or not), etc. People demand transparency and access to information. The way information was disseminated was horrible.
There’s also the matter about how the whole incident seems to have been handled in a very haphazard, unprofessional, even amateurish, manner. It’s not just about the communications, but also about the investigation, the coordination of international partners, and the enlistment of expertise. So much time was wasted because information was not shared in a timely manner (or perhaps intentionally withheld). So much needless waste of manpower and other resources. It feels as if that the Malaysian government was just totally disinterested in the incident, and perhaps thought of it is a distraction to their more important ongoing politicking charades.
MH370 will bring us many more lessons. There should be better ways to track commercial flights. I know there are various risks and safety concerns with all types of equipment, but we should always find ways to overcome them. Today’s technology has made everything online and realtime, it should not be all that difficult to put that in an aircraft. Hopefully all these will make aircraft that much more difficult to simply vanish.
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