{"id":1269772,"date":"2018-11-20T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nhub.news\/?p=1269772"},"modified":"2018-11-21T10:00:29","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T08:00:29","slug":"missed-connection-or-canceled-flight-6-tips-for-getting-what-you-want-from-an-airline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nhub.news\/de\/2018\/11\/missed-connection-or-canceled-flight-6-tips-for-getting-what-you-want-from-an-airline\/","title":{"rendered":"Missed Connection or Canceled Flight? 6 Tips for Getting What You Want From an Airline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tips for using social media effectively when you are trying to resolve a travel disaster, from a canceled flight to a missed connection.<\/b>
\nLast month, when I was flying from New York to Dallas to report about how airlines use social media for customer care, I was having trouble with the online check-in for my Spirit flight. So I decided to conduct a quick experiment: I would call customer service and tweet at the same time, to see which got a faster response.
The tweet read:
\u201c@ SpiritAirlines I\u2019m having trouble checking in to my flight. Can you help?\u201d
I pushed \u201ctweet\u201d and then dialed the customer service number. As I was navigating the phone tree, I got this response from the Spirit Twitter account:
\u201cHi Jonathan, please DM us your reservation info so we can figure out what\u2019s going on.\u201d
I explained the issue in a direct message but didn\u2019t hear back immediately. A few minutes later, still on hold, I got through to a service member on the phone. I was about to tally a win for calling in, when the customer service representative said that I had already been checked in and an email had been sent to my inbox. Sure enough, the social team had already taken care of it.
Like many travelers, I have discovered that you can resolve customer service issues on Twitter or Facebook, including rebooking a flight, checking in, tracking a lost b ag, locating a traveling child, or making special requests.
Here are some tips for leveraging social media to get faster service on your next trip.
That\u2019s where airlines typically put most of their attention. It\u2019s also where you can expect the fastest response. To message an airline on Twitter, look up their \u201chandle\u201d (for example, Delta\u2019s is @Delta), and begin your message with it so that they can see your message. Remember, if you send a message this way, it\u2019s public.
\u201cEscalating an issue into public social media, like on Twitter, can be an effective way to get attention,\u201d said Joshua March, the founder and chief officer of Conversocial, a social customer service provider. But it won\u2019t necessarily get you faster service.
Typically, customer care agents will not ask you for personal information on a public forum, so in many cases, before they are really able to help you, they need to speak to you in a private channel. Options include Twitter\u2019s direct message, Facebook Messenger (which airline representatives say is increasing in popularity), WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, and text messages.
\u201cIf you direct message us, we can immediately roll up our sleeves and get into the nitty-gritty, like seat assignments, flight numbers and personal information,\u201d said Lynn Stines, a social care representative at American Airlines.
Venting at an airline or a passive-aggressive jab may feel good, but it won\u2019t get you to the front of the customer service line.
\u201cWe still see several customers a day tweet something general and vague,\u201d said Laurie Meacham, the head of JetBlue\u2019s social media support team. \u201cWe almost always have to ask follow up questions to get to what they actually need.\u201d And have your information ready. That includes having your booking or reservation number, your flight number, and any personal information that representatives will need to look up your trip, including your frequent flier number, if you have one
Social media team members are trained to spot influencers and those with large followings. It\u2019s important that they help these individuals quickly to prevent future headaches. Of course, you don\u2019t need a large following to get good service, but a social presence helps.
\u201cRemember, we can also pop over and look at a user\u2019s history,\u201d Ms. Meacham said. She said they can easily spot the \u201cone off\u201d profiles or the \u201cbrand-new\u201d profiles that were created just to try to get in touch with airlines or brands.
A developed profile, with a photo, a bio and a history of tweeting, goes a long way. And having a verified account probably wouldn\u2019t hurt either
If you\u2019re not on Twitter or Facebook, you can try getting in touch with customer service on the airline\u2019s mobile app, said Shashank Nigam, the chief executive officer of SimplyFling, an airline marketing firm. The better ones have internal messaging services that are staffed by social care teams. \u201cIt\u2019s also a great way to stay abreast of any flight notifications on the day of travel,\u201d he said.
Really.
It might not get you better service, \u201cbut it\u2019s so much easier to work with someone who is kind,\u201d said Annette Hernandez, a senior manager for social customer experience at American Airlines. \u201cThese are not bots you\u2019re dealing with.\u201d
Also, don\u2019t be surprised if you experience backlash from your rant by people who see your problem as petty or privileged. If you\u2019re being nasty online, you may get some heat yourself.
Follow NY Times Travel on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Get weekly updates from our Travel Dispatch newsletter, with tips on traveling smarter, destination coverage and photos from all over the world.<\/p>\n

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