Last September, Southwest Airlines found itself embroiled in a controversy when a passenger was asked to get off the plane because she was, according to ground personnel, dressed inappropriately. The passenger was able to re-board only if she used a blanket to cover her legs.

Southwest addressed the issue on its blog—more than once. President Colleen Barrett wrapped up the issue that had already been discussed on the blog, linking to a press release that included a statement by CEO Gary Kelly.

Since Southwest opted to tackle the kerfuffle on its blog—an action with which I agree—the company raised an expectation that the blog would be the channel to communicate about all such incidents. Which is why it’s curious that Southwest’s blog (not to mention its other formal channels) have remained silent in light of the news coverage of a family that was not allowed to board a connecting flight because the kids had been unruly on the first leg of the trip.

The tale involves Wendy Slaughter, her four kids, and her pregnant sister, who were flying from Michigan to Seattle with a stop in Phoenix. Reports indicate that the flight crew had exhausted efforts to get the kids to settle down. When the plane landed in Phoenix, police were on hand to meet the family, who were barred from getting on the next flight. The police picked up the cost of meals and a cheap motel. The childrens’ grandmother ponied up $2,000 to have the family flown from Phoenix to Seattle on Alaska Airlines.

Reports indicate that passengers supported Southwest’s allegation of disrputive behavior. As a frequent traveler, I question the assumption that Southwest overreacted or made an inappropriate decision. I’m always amazed and discouraged at the number of parents who make no effort to control their kids on planes. I’d happily take a dollar for every time I’ve had to turn around and ask a kid to stop kicking my seat while the parent sat quiet and oblivious. (One parent even took issue with my talking to the child.) In Southwest’s case, a company spokesperson—Christi Day—responded to an inquiry from a Phoenix TV news reporter:

The family’s interaction with authorities in Phoenix prevented our employees from offering the family options and accommodations. Our concern was echoed in the police report and by other passengers onboard, and it became very clear to us that we needed to address the situation before it escalated further.

That quote appeared in an Arizona Republic story. Another statement appeared in coverage by the Seattle Post Intelligencer:

Over the course of a four-hour flight, our Inflight Crew exhausted all of their resources to resolve the situation, and their efforts were recognized by other concerned passengers. By the family’s own admission to the media, the children were, ‘out of control, restless, and excited.

A Google News search finds 48 news articles dealing with the story. CNN covered it and made the video available on its website. Bloggers have been writing about it, too, notably, and Autism Vox, where the story was covered under the heading, “More Unfriendly Skies.” It turns out two of the children have medical conditions—autism and cerebal palsey, which makes the family suddenly a lot more sympathetic to readers of reports. The perception was reinforced when Southwest agreed to refund the Slaughter family the Phoenix-Seattle portion of their fares. Several headlines focused on the condition, such as the one that labeled its story, “Family Kicked Off Plane Due To Autistic Son Gets A Refund.”

Did Southwest know about the children’s condition? Did flight personnel learn about it en route? We don’t know—at least, I couldn’t find an answer as I read through the various articles and posts.

Which brings me back to my original question, the reason I’ve been paying attention to this story. If the tale of miniskirted Kyla Ebbert warranted discussion on the Southwest blog, why doesn’t this? Do companies have an obligation to be consistent in how they use their official corporate blogs? My guess is yes; once you establish the blog as a vehicle for addressing a specific type of issue, you should make sure to continue using it when similar incidents arise. It would also provide Southwest and its customers the same effective forum for discussion that emerged in the Ebbert story, allowing Southwest to clarify its position regarding the autism issue.