How UK airports use Twitter to better communicate with travelers

UK airports are a busy bunch on Twitter. Six of the ten most followed airports are located in England and Scotland with Heathrow leading the way with 142,092 followers.

Tweeting airports is not a new thing; most registered their accounts back in 2009. Now, with tens of thousands of followers, Twitter has become key component of airport’s communication infrastructure.

“It’s as much a part of our communication network as the customer helpline, website and information desks,” says John Greenway, Head of External Communications at Manchester Airport.

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What are passengers and airports talking about

Passengers reach out to airports with information requests including the terminal of a specific airline, retail and restaurant locations, car parking, and weather delays.

“Twitter use at London Luton is designed to provide answers to practical questions and queries that passengers may have in relation to the Airport,” says a spokesperson from London Luton Airport.

Examples of the most common Twitter encounters between flyers and UK-based airports are below:

@jaspaljassal Hi, please contact your airline if you are going to be late for check in.— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) April 3, 2013

@samporter28 yes, although some restrictions apply so always best to check with airline. — Gatwick Airport LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) April 3, 2013

@evabmarie Hi Eva, you can call UK Border Force on 01582 817900.— London Luton Airport (@LDNLutonAirport) April 2, 2013

@appletreecaters We’re not expecting any delays due to the snow. We will tweet updates if we expect this to change.— Edinburgh Airport (@EDI_Airport) March 18, 2013

@mrbakestone Have you called in? Ask them to swap it! — Manchester Airport (@manairport) March 28, 2013

@mrslisamalone Hi Lisa! Yes there is, 30 minutes free WiFi in all three terminals — Manchester Airport (@manairport) March 27, 2013

@jodiewood_ Hi Jodie, there is no Smashbox, but the great range of shops in Terminal 1 are listed here: bit.ly/10lNv17— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) April 2, 2013

Airports with a personality

Outside of the usual logistical questions, airports have taken the opportunity to engage passengers on a more personal  level. The best Twitter accounts don’t wait for flyers to mention them, but seek out travelers via search.

Head of Passenger Communications at Heathrow, Marc Ellams, calls it the “surprise and delight” element: “We have also shifted from being predominantly customer service/crisis focused to producing more engaging content to improve passenger experience.”

Easter treats for all! We’re giving away @cadburyuk #cremeeggs and @greenandblacks chocs all terminals until 5 April ow.ly/i/1MFn7
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 29, 2013

@manbach12 Hi Manpreet, here is a list of services in Terminal 5, which may help pass the time: bit.ly/VLGvII Enjoy!

— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) April 3, 2013

A personality can go a long way in making friends on Twitter.

Manchester’s Greenway says, “We’ve also tried to give @manairport a personality. @manairport can be dry and sometimes, but only sometimes, humourous and we hope people have liked the fact that we are not just a piece of infrastructure.”

@kt_tato Why not make it a free coffee and treat yourself to a muffin? twitpic.com/ccesmj

— Manchester Airport (@manairport) April 3, 2013

 

Personality isn’t the only reason Manchester is currently the third most followed airport on Twitter with 58,738 followers.

The airport has a 24/7 flight board built into its Twitter stream. Passengers can DM the account with the word ‘Flight’ and their flight number to receive live updates on the status of their flights.