JetBlue PR's "medical situation"

The recent "medical situation" aboard a JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas, in which the captain "flipped out" yelling about Iraq and Afghanistan, has created a crisis for JetBlue PR. Passengers subdued the erratic captain while another captain, who was travelling, entered the cockpit to take over the other's duties in a diverted landing in Texas. The situation was called in as a "medical emergency," though this statement became criticized after audiences learned of the captain's psychotic attack that threatened passenger safety.

In response to the situation, JetBlue posted a statement on its blog:

“The pilot in command elected to divert to Amarillo, TX for a medical situation involving the captain. Another captain, traveling off duty, entered the flight deck prior to landing at Amarillo, and took over the duties of the ill crewmember. The aircraft arrived Amarillo at 10:11 am CT, and the crewmember was removed from the aircraft and taken to a local medical facility."

The CEO Dave Barger appeard on the Today Show last Wednesday and referred back to the blog post when asked about the situation. He clarified the fact that the situation, though called in as a medical emergency, turned out to be something more affecting safety.

The airline continued to update its blog with information, as well as responding to tweets that directed followers back to the blog post.

Let us know what you think. Did JetBlue use social media effectively to handle this PR crisis?