Chief Apology Officer

And so it comes to pass.

The issue OFD covered a dog's age ago in reporting terms - February 16th - resurfaced recently. In Jeff Bailey's New York Times piece Airlines learn to fly on a wing and an apology he writes: "Airlines are getting serious about saying they're sorry. After a spate of nightmarish service disruptions, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and others are sending out more apologies, hoping to head off customer complaints and quell talk of new consumer-protection regulations from Congress." He goes on to describe Southwest Airlines' senior manager of proactive customer communications as a sort of Chief Apology Officer.

This was just the medicine OFD dispensed a month earlier. It's certainly welcomed. It's fine time airlines woke up to the very human need people have for respectful relationships with the brands they buy. The fact that it makes sound business sense in an era of unprecedently poor standards in the airline industry explains the reason for its rapid development.