Covid:19: With call centers shut, airports keep fliers busy on social media

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has been the most active on social media connecting with passengers as the 21-day lockdown crippled call centres. This comes during a period when all domestic and international flights across the country with the exception of essential cargo services.

According to Konnect Insights, a reputed social media analytics tool, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi international Airport had over 3.5 SM engagements in those times, followed by Singapore and Seoul.

Due to the suspension, passengers who had already booked their tickets to flights scheduled for this period have taken to social media platforms for their inquiries as call centre operations too have been affected by the lockdown.

The top five airports in terms of social media engagement are Delhi, Singapore Changi, Seoul Incheon, and Hyderabad airport.

“Between March 15 and 31, Delhi airport emerged as the airport with the engagement level and use of proactive communication through its social media platform on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The two GMR run airports were amongst top 5 airports to respond to customer queries on social media during corona pandemic,” a GMR spokesperson said.

While Hyderabad airport’s overall social media engagement is fourth highest, its engagement levels on popular social media platform Facebook was third highest. Hyderabad airport retained number 4 position on Twitter globally and second in India.

"While the whole country was in a state of lockdown, our social media 24X7 command center remained fully functional just like any other essential service at the airport. The cutting edge cloud-based technology deployed by us ensured that the team could operate remotely from their home and adhere to the 21 days lockdown," CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said.

"We still continue to respond almost real-time to the passengers’ queries and engage with them proactively through advisories and updates. It has also helped us in gathering insight into the situation on the ground through online conversations,” Jaipuriar said.

According to the analysis, Delhi Airport published 99 proactive posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram combined, between March 15 and March 30, maximum by any global airport. On the second spot was Bangalore with 80 proactive posts followed by LAX and Heathrow with 74 and 68 proactive posts, respectively, said the statement.