Crisis Communication in Aviation: Media Narratives on the Ibom Air Passenger Misconduct Incident

Aviation crises demand swift, accurate, and responsible communication from both media and organisations, as public safety and institutional reputation are simultaneously at stake. This study examined media narratives surrounding the Ibom Air passenger misconduct incident as a case of crisis communication in Nigeria's aviation sector. The study was anchored on the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) developed by W. Timothy Coombs, which provides a framework for understanding how organisations and media frame crises based on perceived responsibility and reputational threat. A qualitative content analysis design was adopted, focusing on newspaper and online media reports covering the Ibom Air incident. A purposive sample of 80 news stories, opinion pieces, and social media reports was selected, with a structured coding sheet used as the instrument of analysis. Findings revealed that media narratives largely framed the incident through a sensational lens, emphasising passenger behaviour and airline response while neglecting systemic safety culture issues within Nigeria's aviation industry. Ibom Air's crisis communication response was reported as reactive rather than proactive, with limited transparency in early messaging. The study concluded that both media coverage and airline crisis communication during the Ibom Air incident fell short of best practice standards, limiting public understanding and institutional trust. It was recommended that Nigerian airlines develop comprehensive crisis communication protocols, and that aviation journalists receive specialised training to report on industry incidents with greater technical accuracy and public interest focus.

Keywords: Crisis communication, aviation, media narratives, Ibom Air, Situational Crisis Communication Theory