American Airlines Engages in Social Media

Author David Meerman Scott describes how American Airlines uses real-time social networking to communicate with customers in his book The New Rules of Marketing and PR. You know the story. David posts a picture of himself with a rescue dog and @AmericanAir responds.

What’s a blogger to do but invite himself to American Airlines Dallas headquarters? There David learns that American uses real-time customer data all the way to the CEO level. In the American Airlines Integrated Operations Center (IOC), a representative of the social team sits right next to the operations manager. That’s how important real-time social media has become to the operation of the airline.

American vs Other Airlines

How does American compare to other airlines when it comes to social engagement? Frankly, it crushes them.

Author Michelle Saettler writes in a Mobile Marketer website post, that American Airlines responded more than 68,400 times, totaling 36 percent of overall mentions from May 1 to July 21. American Airlines stood out from the others, not because of the sheer volume of social mentions, 572,901, but because it was the most engaged and active with customers.

Coming in last, Delta responded only 307 times, .3 percent, and AirTran did not respond at all.

Southwest had the highest percentage of positive mentions, 36.5 percent, and U.S. Airways had the highest percentage of negative mentions, 27 percent.

It’s obvious that traditional customer service platforms are being disrupted by social media, and American Airlines has turned that into a competitive advantage by identifying concerns raised by customers on social platforms around and mediating issues quickly via online connections.

Having spent 11 hours in airplanes and airport concourses today (including 2 hours locked inside a taxiing jet on the tarmac), I can attest to the urge to vent online. But I flew Delta Airlines, and I knew nobody was listening.