Delta catches other airlines napping, joins Twitter?

I haven't used Twitter much, but one thing I've noticed is that there's a lot of talk about airlines on the service. It seems that while many are stuck in airports, they want to jump on Twitter.

And frequently, they want to bitch about the crappy service that the airlines are giving them. Take this episode from Ariel's recent experience with United and US Airways:

Perhaps one of the most commonly mentioned categories of brands on Twitter are airlines. Often times you find yourself stuck in an airport with nothing but a phone as your connection to the world. Luckily, Twitter is always available to listen to you vent. This was the case with me about a month ago, when I experienced the most horrid treatment by United/US Airways and "live-twittered" my absolute disgust with them:

-I cant remember the last time i was on a flight that wasnt delayed. Not cool.
-Twitter is my only friend to vent to when im stuck in annoying airport lines.
-Brands should monitor twitter for real time feedback. Us airways would know how much i hate them now.
-I am seriously on the verge of crying. My flight was bumped again due to them accidentally not booking it correctly.

Along comes Delta, who has decided to enter the Twitter-world(at least we think it's them)! Absolutely brilliant, and gives them a massive first-mover advantage over their competitors, many of which likely have no idea what Twitter is anyway. And Jaffe details how the company isn't just sending pitches with Twitter, they are actively conversing with Twitter users and addressing their concerns about Delta, and the airline industry as a whole!

We still need to point out that no one has confirmed that Delta is actually behind this, but if so, kudos indeed! This is another perfect example of the importance of using the tools your customers are, in their space.

PS: You can Twitter me here.


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The Viral Garden, Marketing, Delta Airlines