Airline’s big social media budgets are wasteful without strategy

- Jun 05, 2013 10:30 am

Skift Take

The most successful social strategies build upon an airline’s brand, giving it a voice and personality beyond its service. Global airlines still finding their footing can look to American Airlines and Delta as role models.

— Samantha Shankman

More airlines are clamouring for a slice of the social media pie, with more than 70 per cent of them intending to increase their budgets in this area this year – although many are struggling to do it right.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily on the sidelines of Travel Distribution Summit, SimpliFlying CEO, Shashank Nigam, said: “The biggest challenge by airlines is the insufficient allocation of resources to social media.”

Besides budget, Nigam also emphasised the importance of having a strategy before entering cyber space, saying many airlines wanted to be online but did not know what to do differently on social media.