Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
06 September 2013 08:36
Twitter may be a useful tool for consumers
Social media may prove a key weapon in the battle for better customer service, as one disgruntled British Airways customer has proven.
Hasan Syed was so annoyed with the way BA handled the issue of his father's missing luggage, that he paid to have a tweet promoted. Paying to have a promoted tweet means it is read by more people as it is given greater prominence on the Twitter feed of the relevant company. Promoted tweets are normally only used by companies who want to advertise something.
The tweet read: "Don't fly @BritishAirways. Their customer service is horrendous."
Mr Syed's tweet spread around the world, having been initially targeted for New York and the UK. Many re-tweeted his message and six hours after it went live it was picked up by news website Mashable. After another four hours, British Airways picked up on it and replied with "Sorry for the delay in responding, our twitter feed is open 09:00-17:00 GMT. Please DM [direct message] your baggage ref and we'll look into this."
Mr Syed was complaining after his father's bags got lost on a flight from Chicago to Paris. The issue of lost luggage is reminder of the importance of travel insurance for those jetting off.
It is not clear how much he paid for his promoted tweed, but experts believe it could become a popular way for the public to fight back against big businesses.
Writing in his blog, Shashank Nigam, chief executive of aviation consultancy SimpliFlying, said: "The implications are tremendous for the future of airline customer service, especially on social media.
"These tools are easy to use and brand detractors have the same access to them as corporations. I'd guess that this cost less than a thousand dollars to buy and Mr Syed targeted it smartly.
British Airways later told the BBC: "We would like to apologise to the customer for the inconvenience caused. We have been in contact with the customer and the bag is due to be delivered today."
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
[more...]
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.
02 August 2018
A charity is calling for greater access to respite support after it emerged that 72% of Britain's 700,000 young carers feel lonely and isolated during the summer holidays.
01 August 2018
A plan to build new rail links with Heathrow Airport and connect Windsor's two train stations have been submitted to the Government.
31 July 2018
The head of International Airlines Group (IAG), the company that owns British Airways, is 'optimistic' about a legal challenge to end crippling strikes.