Southwest Airlines MastersThe Business Apology: Throw a mini-skirt sale, ignore the injured party

It's being called the "Southwest Apology."  But what Southwest  Airlines is calling  an "apology" is nothing more than a mean-spirited dig at Kyla Ebbert.

Here is the so-called apology by way of Upgrade:Travel Better

From a Company who really loves PR, touche to you Kyla! Some have said we’ve gone from wearing our famous hot pants to having hot flashes at Southwest, but nothing could be further from the truth. As we both know, this story has great legs, but the true issue here is that you are a valued Customer, and you did not get an adequate apology. Kyla, we could have handled this better, and on behalf of Southwest Airlines, I am truly sorry. We hope you continue to fly Southwest Airlines. Our Company is based on freedom even if our actions may have not appeared that way. It was never our intention to treat you unfairly and again, we apologize.

For a statement to be an actual apology there needs to be an expression of regret.

Beginning the press release implying that Kyla Ebbert is PR Whore would not fall into my definition of a sincere expression of regret. The airlines comes off as smug, arrogant and definitely not  remorseful.

It's a read my lips, wink , wink, wink, excuse for an apology.

In fact, the airlines never actually apologizes to Ms. Ebbert. They apologize for not having apologized. That's right . No where in there pseudo-apology statement is an actual "mea culpa" to  the way Ms. Ebbert  was treated. Why is the airlines having such a tough time admitting and or believing they did anything wrong?

No where  in  this statement is their reference to how customers should expect to be treated by their airlines.

Instead they focus on the fact that they could have handled this better (that's code for we got some really bad press on this and were definitely not on our game.)

If it were a real apology Southwest Airlines would be offering Kyla Ebbert her own personal  a mini-skirt sale by giving her a year of free flying. If they are doing that , they're not promoting it. So it's fair to say Ms. Ebbert isn't getting free fares.

Instead, they are running a "mini-skirt" sale after realizing even their  most loyal  had "Lost That Loving Feeling" for the LUV airlines.

Will a 'mini-skirt" sale help restore their reputation and image as the airlines flyers love to luv? 

Probably, but the key question still isn't answered? What is your dress code and how can flyers comply?