Disaster has a way of bringing out the best in people; but in some cases the worst is not far behind. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston followed a week later by Hurricane Irma’s attack on the Caribbean and Florida we saw many images of heroism and bravery. Unfortunately there were also stories of people being taken advantage of when they needed help the most. Delta airlines came under fire for raising ticket prices more than $2,000 on flights out of Florida. Walmart and Amazon were both accused of price gouging on prices of bottled water with reports that Amazon was charging more than $100 for shipping. And it wasn’t just supplies people were in need of, it was also rescue. Marriott is facing backlash after reports it brought in a boat to evacuate people from Hurricane Irma on St. Tomas. Unfortunately for a lot of them only Marriott customers were taken to safety while everyone else was left behind. The company says it was a liability issue and turned what could have been a positive PR moment into a sinking ship.
About Brian
CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.
