Would it be better for British Airways public relations to have a small article on page 17 of the Los Angeles Times saying:
yesterday, after a minor engine malfunction on one of 4 engines, a BA 747-400 made an uneventful return to LAX. The crew was praised by the passengers who were accomadated on a later flight.
or would it be better to have the story told so many times and finally make the FRONT PAGE of the Wall Street Journal?
So now we must run our operation according to what the press might or might not say?
Let me see. Tomorrow as I get airborne in my 747-400. I have a problem. any problem will do. I now discard company procedure, bin the Boeing QRH. Ignore my common law duty of care. Ignore my responsibilities granted to my by my license. Discard company procedure. And invent an action according to how it may or may not be perceived by the press?
A press that shows little or no understanding of aviation. Shoots from the hip and sensationalizes everything. Reduces all to the lowest common denominator. And would sell its own proverbial granny to sell more copy.
The interview with the Chief Pilot would be short and too the point.