Germanwings' Communications About Flight Crash

A New York Times article, although still controversial, surmised the cause of the Germanwings flight crash over the French alps. Black box communications indicate that the plane colot barricaded himself into the cockpit to intentionally destroy the plane.

Updates on the Germanwings website have been steady since the crash was reported, with the most recent statement acknowledging reports of the colot's intention.

 

The home page of the website focuses on the incident. Simple text and no graphics appropriately reflect the severity of the situation.

In a news conference, a French investigator concludes that the colot is to blame. 

Discussion Starters:

• Assess messages from Germanwings. What works well about their statements, and what could be improved?
• The search continues for a second black box. What else, if anything, should the airline communicate at this point?