This study explores how Total Quality Management (TQM) principles can enhance crisis resilience within the Jordanian aviation sector, emphasising leadership, culture, and employee well-being during COVID-19–level disruptions. Using an interpretivist qualitative case study within a Middle Eastern MNE airline operating within the Jordanian aviation sector, the research gathered data through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that crisis-driven pressures often led to top-down decision-making, poor communication, and insufficient crisis-specific or mental-health training, undermining TQM’s participatory ethos. Cultural norms, such as hierarchical leadership and strong deference to seniority further marginalised frontline staff, highlighting the fragility of TQM principles under acute stress. The study underscores the importance of ‘soft’ TQM elements, including psychological support, inclusive leadership, and transparent feedback loops, which are key to sustaining operational continuity and employee morale. By showing how organisations can regress into autocratic practices when pressured, the findings enrich TQM and crisis-management theory, stressing the need for culturally sensitive adaptations and systematic crisis planning. Practical recommendations include combining technical and people-centric strategies, embedding mental-health resources, and creating open channels for timely dialogue. Policy directives that mandate agile, evidence-based protocols and ongoing staff input can strengthen crisis readiness while respecting local cultural values. The research concludes that TQM, if adapted to cultural and crisis contexts, can significantly boost airline resilience, supporting the calls for broader investigations across multiple airlines, including longitudinal analyses of crisis-driven reforms, and the integration of digital tools for robust, people-centred operations.