More than half of Europe’s airports on Twitter are using it to promote particular routes or destinations and are becoming increasing aware of its power to benefit their network planning, a new report has revealed.
Over 50% of European airports now have some form of social media presence and usage in Central and Eastern Europe has increased 800% over the last 12 months, according to ACI Europe’s Digital Report 2012.
According to the report, 87% of airports are using social media for commercial promotions of which 45% were using it purely to promote new and existing routes.
The report found there has been a “huge increase” in engagement between airports and social media users . While less popular, airports are also increasing embracing YouTube and LinkedIn. Video samples revealed that flash mobs and celebration of new route launches were among the content being uploaded by airports.
In terms of Google + the report found there was “very little activity” by airports, which it blamed on its recent appearance and the fact that official brand profiles were only recently introduced.
“The growth in the number of airports both on social media and releasing smartphone apps in the last year is phenomenal. Airports know that many elements of their operations, from customer service to commercial revenues to new route promotion benefit from these new technologies, and nobody can afford to become left behind,” the report states.
While Twitter had been the fastest growing social media tool 12 months ago, the report’s researchers found that this trend has now reversed, with 35% of airports having using facebook, but only 9% which were exclusively using Twitter.
Eight of the top 10 airports for Twitter followers per million passengers and absolute Twitter followers, were in the UK and Ireland.
“Only Aena Aeropuertos – which represents an entire network of airports - and Warsaw Chopin – which is particularly dynamic in social media – have managed to break this hegemony,” the report states.
In terms of absolute facebook likes, Western European hub airports predominated with Heathrow, Paris CDG, Lisbon, Berlin Amsterdam Schiphol with more than 10,000 likes, but some smaller airports including Nice Cote d’Azur and Dusseldorf also clocked up impressive numbers.
Other conclusions reached by the report were: accounts are being updated more frequently; there is more coherence in updates; less duplicate or ‘ghost’ accounts which have not been updated or where it is not clear if they are official presences; evidence of airports using different social media platforms for different content, messages and to target different audiences.
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