Everybody agrees that social media is here to stay. Most airlines by now have an active social media presence – Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and even check-in locations for location-based apps. While it is rather simple to set up such accounts, it takes considerable effort to actually get in fans and followers and start conversations that are meaningful and benefit both the airline as well as the customers. Moreover, while some airlines have more than 1 million fans on Facebook, some have around 10,000.
So how are airlines managing their social media presence? What plans do they have for managing their teams in the future? How large or small are these teams? Do greater follower numbers imply greater effort?
2. METHODOLOGY
SimpliFlying collected data from about 25 major airlines across the world.
We asked airlines three simple questions:
How many people are managing social media efforts presently?
Which and how many departments are involved?
Do the airlines have any plans of hiring more people for social media
efforts?
Data was also collected from Klout and EezerDataLabs
3. FACEBOOK & TWITTER
Twitter followers Facebook fans
JetBlue
Southwest
AirAsia
KLM
Delta
Virgin America
Air New Zealand
airBaltic
WestJet
Qantas
LAN
SAS Scandinavian
0 300,000 600,000 900,000 1,200,000 1,500,000 1,800,000
www.SimpliFlying.com
4. RESOURCES IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Current size Hiring plans
JetBlue
KLM
Delta
airBaltic
Southwest
Qantas
Turkish Airlines
Air New Zealand
Emirates
Virgin America
AirAsia
LAN
WestJet
SAS Scandinavian
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
www.SimpliFlying.com
8. FANS PER STAFF MEMBER
Dedicated model Integrated model
Southwest
AirAsia
Virgin America
WestJet
JetBlue
Delta
KLM
airBaltic
0 175,000 350,000 525,000 700,000
www.SimpliFlying.com
10. NUMBER OF COLLABORATING DEPARTMENTS
(WITHIN EACH AIRLINE)
0 1 2 3 4
JetBlue
Southwest
Qantas
KLM
Delta
Virgin America
SAS Scandinavian
Air New Zealand
WestJet
Air Baltic
LAN
www.SimpliFlying.com
11. FUTURE PLANS
Hiring Not hiring Not committed
25%
57%
18%
www.SimpliFlying.com
12. NUMBER OF FANS FOR EVERY PASSENGER
JetBlue
Virgin America
AirAsia
airBaltic
Southwest
Air New Zealand
KLM
Delta
WestJet
LAN
Qantas
0 0.014 0.029 0.043 0.057 0.071 0.086 0.100
www.SimpliFlying.com
13. NUMBER OF COLLABORATING
DEPARTMENTS
4
3
2
1
0
LAN
JetBlue Qantas Delta SAS Scandinavian WestJet
www.SimpliFlying.com
15. We just changed the game. Again.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Challenge yourself Learn how other Share and challenge Ask us how we can
with one question each airlines are driving your team to incorporate help, anytime you hit a
week about your airline's business goals through an idea in your strategy. roadblock
social media strategy. social media innovation.
Click to
The SimpliFlying iPhone App. download
Download now from the App Store.