Anatomy of a crisis: Qantas data breach

What does the recent Qantas data breach reveal when viewed through the lens of societal capital?

This could be Qantas’ biggest public affairs challenge since the 2011 fleet grounding. Its Social Licence (damaged by industrial disputes) and Popular Licence (hit by product and service failures) have already been seriously depleted. The airline has largely depended on its Public Licence – its status as the national carrier – to maintain trust.

But now, that final source of societal capital is under pressure too. The media is scrutinising Qantas’ crisis response, particularly the use of AI-generated communications, and a class action may be looming.

If the Public Licence is also eroded, what’s left?

This is a textbook example of a perfect storm – where a crisis hits after a long period of societal capital erosion. Even the biggest brands and most experienced teams would find it hard to navigate, let alone recover.

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