Cite Ongoing Investigation As Cause To Hold Off On Public
Statements
by ANN Managing Editor Rob Finfrock
Now that the National Transportation Safety Board has
essentially confirmed a flock of birds took down US Airways Flight 1549 over New York last
week, news outlets around the world (including this
one) are VERY eager to interview the two pilots who so ably guided
the stricken airliner to a perfect ditching in the Hudson River,
and the three flight attendants who then managed to quickly and
safely evacuate all passengers off the waterlogged Airbus A320,
without a single fatality.
However, the NTSB has not definitively ruled on the cause... and
on Monday, the US Airline Pilots Association and the Association of
Flight Attendants issued a joint statement asking for the publics'
understanding that while the investigation is still underway, the
crew is unavailable for interviews.
"Captain
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, First Officer Jeff Skiles and Flight
Attendants Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent wish to offer
their sincere thanks and appreciation for the overwhelming support,
praise and well wishes they have received from the public around
the world since the events of last Thursday," the statement
reads.
"The entire crew recognizes the media’s interest in
speaking with them as soon as possible, and they are willing to
share their experiences when the time is right. However, as the
NTSB investigation is ongoing, they ask that the media respect
their desire to refrain from participating in interviews until
further notice."
In addition to what appears to be the crew's sincere desire to
avoid the intense public spotlight, there is a more pragmatic
reason for the crewmembers not to comment: any public statement or
comment by the crew, which has not been thoroughly vetted, could
open the crewmembers, the airline, and even the unions to
litigation.
There is overwhelming evidence the January 16 incident was the
unavoidable result of a bird strike... and, that the wonderful
outcome was the end result to an incalculable combination of a
highly proficient crew, the safety aspects of a modern airliner,
and a dose of old-fashioned luck.
The incident has generated enormous public empathy and support
for the crew, and even for US Airways... which, before last week,
was better known to many fliers as the airline too cheap to provide
free Cokes to passengers. But that groundswell of support doesn't
mean lawyers aren't circling the scene, looking for any possible
way to make a buck off the incident.
Indeed, just hours after the ditching of Flight 1549, Aero-News
received a release from one prominent New York law firm... asking
to speak with passengers about the incident. Infuriated, ANN
staffers were preparing a story about it... but within the hour,
the firm had pulled the release from its site, perhaps (correctly)
gauging the immediate public backlash that would have resulted from
such blatant ambulance chasing.
As of this writing, no lawsuit has been filed in connection with
Flight 1549... but that doesn't mean that firm -- or numerous
others -- aren't still looking for an opportunity. There's already
been speculation passengers might be able to sue US Airways for
emotional distress.
Furthermore, even if the NTSB report completely vindicates the
1549 crew of any wrongdoing in the accident... that ruling
wouldn't be admissible in court.
Which means that, for now, the crew of Flight 1549 won't be
granting many interviews. Sullenburger was scheduled to give
his first public interview with NBC's "Today" show Monday
morning, but that has since been postponed.
Call it a sign of the times.
(Incident images by Gregory
Lam)