Gatwick has become the first UK airport to be recognised by Twitter for its social media.
Gatwick uses Twitter to keep passengers informed of schedule disruptions, flight delays and everyday airport activity, and its profile has now been marked with the Twitter blue tick, showing that it is listed by the technology giant as a trusted news source.
“We recognise the importance of providing accurate and timely communication,” said Lindsay Baldwin, Gatwick’s head of communications. “Twitter provides us with an immediate and effective communications platform to do just this.”
The airport’s Twitter page currently has some 30,000 followers, having added more than 1,500 during the snow disruption in February this year. The severe weather in December 2010 saw some 15,000 people sign up for Gatwick’s tweets, and a peak times it received some 300 queries every hour via the medium.
Baldwin added that Gatwick is also using its social media presence to improve other aspects of customer service, including responding to passenger feedback and enquiries.
As well as operating its passenger support via Twitter 24 hours a day, Gatwick uses an Instagram feed to update customers and QR codes to provide airport information.
For more information visit gatwickairport.com, twitter.com/gatwick_airport, and to follow Business Traveller's Twitter stream, visit twitter.com/btuk.
Report by Lucy Douglas