It gets their name on the front page places like here and probably some regular media coverage, it doesn't say anything bad about the company, and your worry that it could cause people not to fly requires them reading and internalizing the entire article. And all that was required of them was using a correct term for the event.

I think the all press is good press more applies to lesser known companies. At this point everyone knows who american airlines are.

e.g. boeing/United airlines after the engine failure

Would guess they both would prefer it if that wasn't in the news.