Air Travel, Socially Speaking with @flyingwithfish

Introducing the 4th guest post in this new fly HIA blog mini-series, a discussion on how social media has altered the way we travel. Today's guest blogger is Steven Frischling

is an airline and aerospace focused emerging media consultant, building and deploying strategies for airlines, aircraft manufacturers and the travel industry. He writes Flying With Fish a blog that has somehow managed to evolve into something far beyond what it was planned to be.

I sat down to write about travel and the importance of social media a few days ago. Once I finished the piece I realized I had over analyzed what I had written like is often done when pitching a corporation rather than having a conversation about the subject as a whole.

Others in this series by Harrisburg International Airport's series on social media has transforming how we travel have discussed the tools of social media. Tools, such as Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Blogs, etc etc etc, are important, they are not what makes social media … connecting and engaging is what makes social media effective.

Since HIA is hosting this series, I am going to focus on airports.

Most people never view an airport as a business. An airport to most travelers is a building, with some runways, gates and it’s a place you go through, but it is not generally viewed as a business. Airports need passengers to survive, especially airports that compete with other airports for traffic.

Where I live, the closest airport to my house lost its last airline in 2004 when US Airways Express terminated the service. The airport I prefer to use, Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), has now been left with a single airline, US Airways Express, since Delta Air Lines pulled out in 2006. These airports are fighting for passengers and their survival against larger airports such as Hartford's Bradley Airport (BDL) and Providence's TF Green Airport (PVD) … and in turn TF Green fights for passengers with Bradley Airport and the much larger Boston Logan Airport (BOS).

To compete, airports must find out the needs of their passengers, not only those in the 'home area' but also those coming to their region. social media opens up a whole new door for airports to explore travelers, build relationships with those who use or may use their facility, and improve the overall travel experience. I have often wondered if my 'home airport' would have a larger passenger base if they actively sought out passengers, recruiting them away from Hartford, Providence and White Plains (HPN). Frequently when speaking with travelers in my area I am met with "New Haven still has an airport?"

So how does an airport using social media change the travel experience? From the outset it is proactive. It puts the airport into a conversational space where they are able to alert travelers to their presence and recruit passengers for them.

While smaller, regional airports such as Harrisburg, Akron-Canton (CAK), Charlottesville (CHO) and Dallas Love Field (DAL) are able to connect with regular travelers, turning locals into brand ambassadors… larger airports that often seen as the 'large faceless corporations' of the airport world are also doing an excellent job in engaging.

For me a major airport that is shaping the way social media should be used by major global hub airports is London's Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Airport is a massive airport with airlines from every inhabited continent and yet those involved with Heathrow's social media are able to connect, be helpful and at times even playful with their passengers … all while helping build the airports brand image in, a city with five international airports, along the way.

A recent experience that brought a smile to my face upon landing at Heathrow and receiving a message saying "Welcome to Heathrow! There are Crunchie bars waiting for your at WH Smith." While this may seem odd … a few hours earlier, while boarding a flight to London Heathrow I sent a message out on Twitter saying I was on a certain British Airways flight to Heathrow and I couldn't wait to pick up a Crunchie Bar … the folks at Heathrow timed their message to when they knew my plane was at the gate.

Airports are the gateway to a region and an airport's ability to create content and interact with passengers directing them to hotels, restaurants, attractions, allows for an interactive opening with the social media programs in place by tourism boards, local attractions and the chambers of commerce. This flow of conversation gives travelers’ access to instant local insights and suggestions … something that never happened during the planning and transit stages of travel before.

Social media has allowed airports to become full partners with the airlines and those who support travel to a region in being proactive and reactive to travelers needs. Social media has opened the floodgates for airports to become competitive in recruiting and retention or passengers from not only the local population, but also those who visit. Social media has finally allowed airports to explore new revenue streams and have a voice of their own, not the voices of others around them speaking for them.

For airports … social media has been a fundamental game changer for their benefit and the travelers who use them.

Happy Flying!

Have you had an airport engage you on Twitter? Which airports do you fly to/from aren't using social media, but you wish they did?

Air Travel, Socially Speaking with @BethBlair

Introducing the 3rd guest post in this new fly HIA blog mini-series, a discussion on how social media has altered the way we travel. Today's guest blogger is Beth Blair writes for Aviation Security International and a travel blog. You can find her personal site and blog at BethBlair.com.

How social media as altered the way we air travel
The social media trend has not only made our world feel smaller, it’s making travel easier. Every day travelers are turning to their favorite social media sites for updates on news, bargains, trends, air delays or other valuable information that may impact their days on the road and in the sky.

This summer I was on a family trip and as I tweeted our adventures, locals offered advice on bakeries, restaurants and coffee shops. This isn’t rare. Twitter has played a major part in social media evolution and for good reason. It’s the fast-food of communication. (link to Benet’s post?) Just as every tropical island and cruise ship has its own ambiance, so do airports. Travelers don’t hesitate to jump on Twitter to ask fellow travelers where to find an airport pub or massage chair. Better yet, I’ve witnessed people meeting in person for the first time while passing through an airport. A few years ago, they would have walked right past each other.

Airlines in SM
It’s been fun watching airlines and other travel industry businesses partake in social media networks and as the months pass they get better and better. Airlines use social media for damage control, flight bargains and assisting with circumstances such as lost luggage. Oftentimes, a passenger may simply send a tweet out of frustration and the airline looks at it as an opportunity to provide outstanding customer service.

Another common trend is employees, especially cabin and cockpit crews, blogging or tweeting about their experiences, pet peeves or offering advice to passengers. As for airline security, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has been successful at running the passenger-geared TSA Blog that explains procedures and addressed newsworthy events.

The Joy of Blogging
Blogging in general has made quite an impact on the social media scene. From experiences and opinions to controversial news, the various realms of blogs have given travelers the opportunity to research, discover and gather insight on a destination long before they arrive.

On a personal level, my shared blog, TheVacationGals.com was created for us to share our experiences and findings during our travels. We each have unique voices, opinions and backgrounds which make for an interesting mix.

The blog has allowed me to share my experience as a former flight attendant, indulge my interest in travel safety and as a mom I enjoy assisting other parents with their air travel questions. For example, I have been able to voice concerns regarding the dangers of the long-time airline lap-child policy.

While companies are using Facebook and Twitter to start buzz about their products, their blogging customers are sharing their experiences about the products. When it comes to air travel, luggage is always a big conversation piece as are comfort and health products. For parents, topics like strollers, food, entertainment, car seats and the CARES (Child Aviation Restraint System) are at the top of the list.

The proof is in the photos
A photo is worth a thousand words and that certainly seems the case when one photo is placed before thousands of people. Visual stimulation tends to build trust between a poster and a viewer and this is reflected daily in social media. Twitpic and Flickr are just a couple of photo-sharing sites used in social media. Photos of a grotesque hotel room would turn off most future guests whereas a hotel with a gorgeous beach-view would tempt travelers to book a room that day. Today, exposure in social media is better than a brochure.

Of course, not every photo relays the truth behind the story and this can be the case for flying. Earlier this year, a passenger took various photos of a major carrier’s aircraft being “held together” by what looked like duct tape. The photos made its way on to various social media sites. Sure, it looks bad, especially alongside the phrase, “If you can duct it…” However, this is one example where the photo didn’t explain the entire story. The silver adhesive was actually very expensive high-speed tape, a much higher quality of adhesive than duct tape. And it certainly wasn’t bought at Home Depot.

This story should be a remind to all social media users, that while Internet information is easily accessible today and erupting with information, it’s up to the individual to verify all information before coming to a conclusion. Happy traveling and tweeting!

Guest Blog: AirTran Delivers Nonstop Service Between MDT & FLL

Today we'd like the feature the first guest blog of it's kind. A few weeks ago we put out an invitation for our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to author a guest blog post. An avid & active fan and follower, Chris Stotz wrote the following customer testimonial post about his experience of flying AirTran Airways between MDT and FLL. Chris was born and raised near Harrisburg International airport in Central PA, but now lives in Fort Lauderdale.

I’m originally from central Pennsylvania but have been living in Fort Lauderdale since 2002. Finding a flight home to Harrisburg from either Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports always involved long and sometimes hectic connections in major airport hubs, usually resulting in about a six hour adventure between here and there. Last winter, the chaos of running through busy airports to make the connecting flight to/from Harrisburg became a thing of the past. While checking out updates on Harrisburg International Airport’s website (flyhia.com), I noticed the big announcement that I had been waiting eight years to see… AirTran would begin nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Harrisburg. I remember sending out a mass email to family and friends still living in central Pennsylvania because this was big news. What a treat! Not only was there nonstop service between Harrisburg and Fort Lauderdale, it was on AirTran. AirTran’s low fares, hassle-free customer service, newer Boeing jets, and available in-flight WiFi service make them one of the best values in the air today (and one of my preferred carriers). Suddenly, what often ends up being a six-hour ordeal getting to Harrisburg would now take about 2 hours, without the stress of having to make a connecting flight.

I’ve made several quick weekend trips to visit family in central Pennsylvania from Fort Lauderdale since the new seasonal, nonstop service began. If I had to think of one word to describe each AirTran experience between Fort Lauderdale and Harrisburg, it would be “smooth.” No issues, no delays, no worries. Each time I was dropped off at Harrisburg International Airport for my return flight to Fort Lauderdale, I browsed the retail options in the Harrisburg International Airport terminal like Perfectly Pennsylvania, grabbed my coffee at Starbucks (I can’t believe there is now a Starbucks inside the HIA terminal), and boarded my quick flight back to South Florida. Smooth! Why drive to large, crowded airports in Baltimore or Philadelphia when HIA has everything a traveler needs… including nonstop flights to popular destinations?

Fort Lauderdale, about 20 minutes north of Miami, is home to the second-largest cruise ship port in the United States. Winter days are balmy, usually around 80-degrees with little or no humidity. The beaches are lined with towering palm trees and the ocean water is warm and blue. With AirTran’s direct service from Harrisburg, Fort Lauderdale is now a quick, easy, and affordable getaway for people in central Pennsylvania looking to escape the harsh, cold winter, even for just a long weekend. With AirTran, you can get to Fort Lauderdale from Harrisburg faster than it takes you to drive to the mid-Atlantic beaches.

For me, the best part of the nonstop service between Harrisburg and Fort Lauderdale is somehow home doesn’t seem so far away anymore. See you in the air!

Have you flown nonstop on AirTran Airways to/from MDT? What's been your experience with those flights?

If you enjoyed reading Chris's post and would like to guest blog for fly HIA blog, please let us know. Send an email to info@saraa.org with your interest!

Air Travel, Socially Speaking with @CrankyFlier

Introducing the 2nd guest post in this new fly HIA blog mini-series, a discussion on how social media has altered the way we travel. Today's guest blogger is Brett Snyder. Brett is the President and Chief Airline Dork at Cranky Flier, LLC. In addition to his blog, Brett operates Cranky Concierge air travel assistance service. Today Brett shares his thoughts on Delta Air Lines reservations and the Twitter movement.

Next stop on the Delta tour? Reservations. I was particulary excited about talking to Allison Ausband, who runs the reservations team, because Delta is doing some really interesting things. Besides using some more unique flexible work schedules, Delta is also bringing together social media with reservations to create some spectacularresults.

There are about 5,000 reservations agents at Delta, and they’re scattered around several call centers around the world. Well, at least 4,000 of them are. The rest are actually home-based, similar to what JetBlue does with its agents and the team is humming right along. Right now, there are also call centers in South Africa and Jamaica that take calls from the US, but the long term plan is to bring that all back in-house. Yep, that’s right. Love it.

But of all those agents, there are eight that are particularly interesting to me. Those eight (and growing) make up the DeltaAssist team, the group that manages @DeltaAssist on Twitter. Though the group started off handling issues only during business hours in Atlanta (something I criticized here), it has already been expanded to work on weekends. It will eventually become a 24×7 operation, and that’s where it needs to be. And really, it needs to be there very soon. You can’t have part-time coverage for a 24 hour operation.

The agents on this team are given wide-ranging power to resolve any issues that arise, and if they can’t, they contact whomever needs to fix it. Ultimately, Allison views this team as just another line of business, like the reservations sales team.

Though the benefit this team brings seems obvious to me, I asked Allison how Delta was measuring success. Her first answer was this.

What we’re reading makes it worthwhile. Even if it’s not a favorable comment, it’s real-time learning.

While I agree with that, I can’t imagine that’s how they measure success, so I pressed on and she gave me two answers.

1. Fewer complaints
2. Fewer calls into the reservations center

Allison explained that the response has been phenomenal. The group tells customers that “someone’s listening in cyberspace and there’s a human behind it.” In other words, it gives a human face to a generally impersonal process.

While Delta hasn’t fully fleshed out its metrics yet, it likes the trends that it’s seeing. DeltaAssist agents can respond more quickly to customers when they’re in trouble. Since it’s not on the phone, the agents can multi-task and be more productive. And best of all (in my opinion)? Twitter limits you to 140 characters, so it makes customers get to the point. That lets the team help more people with less time. In fact, I had the chance to use it this week for a Cranky Concierge client, and I think that highlights how efficient this is.

crankyflier: looks like flt 63 ATL TPA may cxl – trying to help [client confirmation #] – is it possible to reaccom even if no cxl yet?
DeltaAssist: We can, although the only flight with 2 seats still open is leaving @ 10:50p. ^WG
crankyflier: Well, can we grab those seats and then they can still hang around 63 to see if it goes earlier?
DeltaAssist: All set. ^WG

Fantastic. No need to call anyone, and you have to explain it very concisely. The problem, of course, is that some might abuse the system, and I asked if they’d seen that so far. In her Southern accent, Allison slyly notes, “We have some regulars.” And that’s a constant issue for the airline – figuring out how to help people and when. Allison knows that Delta can’t respond to everything in cyberspace, so the airline is turning toward technology to help find what needs urgent assistance and what might not.

DeltaAssist will never take over the job of reservation agents completely, but it will be a strong complement. Regardless of the channel that people use, all agents are now being reminded that there are rules, but they aren’t in stone.

“We want agents to know, they’re listening to the customer. They need to do what’s right.”

That sort of empowerment isn’t something that we’ve seen at legacy airlines in recent times, and I hope it doesn’t ring hollow in this case. Granted, after my recentguest post from a former Delta reservations agent, it does make you wonder how easy it will be to make this change in empowerment stick. When I was there, they were sending reservations agents into recurrent training to make it clear that they had more power to make things right.

It also helps that there is complete support from senior management.

“We wouldn’t have been able to get all these resources if [the execs] didn’t believe in what we were doing.”

That’s true, and it’s certainly welcome.

Air Travel, Socially Speaking with @avweekbenet

Introducing the latest in fly HIA blog mini-series, a discussion on how social media has altered the way we travel. Today's guest blogger is Benét J. Wilson. Benét is the Online Managing Editor for Business Aviation at Aviation Week in Washington, D.C., and is a consummate traveler and blogger.

The Internet has revolutionized and democratized the world of travel. In the old days, we had to rely on travel agents for booking our tickets and trusting that they would give us the best fares. We also had to rely on them, along with travel writers, for intelligence on where to go and where to stay.

But with the advent of the Internet, those functions became available to anyone with access to a computer. We can now book our own travel, find independent reviews on resorts and hotels and tailor our own vacations.

But for me, the one thing that has transformed travel is the growth in social media. And the one tool that has revolutionized how we experience our travel is Twitter. The 140-character microblogging site has the ability to give travelers instant information about any part of their trip.

For example, I flew to Geneva, Switzerland, back in May for a major business aviation show. The day after I arrived, I came down with a horrible cold. We all know that nothing is worse than being on the road and getting sick, especially if you’re out of the county.

I jokingly sent a Tweet asking one of my followers to go to Walgreens, get me some lotion tissues, some Sudafed Cold medicine for day and NyQuil for the evenings and along with some Riccola cough drops and fly them to Geneva. The next thing I know, I had tweets suggesting medicines I could buy in Geneva. One of my followers was even kind enough to Tweet her suggestions to me in French and German so I could show it to the pharmacist.

I took her good advice and got some great medicine and felt better after only a day. I again joked about how much better I felt, but admitted I had no idea what I was taking. Several of my European followers assured me that the medicines recommended to me were the right ones to take.

One of my favorite Twitter travel people is Stacy Smalls, AKA @EliteTravelGal. She is constantly tweeting about her amazing travels and giving advice on where people should go. She also handles her client emergency requests (and even requests from non-clients), because you never know when you’ll need help.

Another favorite is Brett Snyder, AKA @crankyflier, who brings humor and clarity to the airline business in his blog of the same name. But he also has a business – Cranky Concierge that sprang up after Twitter followers asked for help in rebooking flights after flight delays and cancellations. During Iceland’s volcano eruption, Snyder solicited clients via Twitter and came up with some really unique connections to get people out of Europe.

And if you mention almost any city in the world, I guarantee you will get some great suggestions on Twitter for places you don’t find in the guidebooks or deals that may not always be visible. A friend recently had an 8-hour layover in Singapore and wanted suggestions on what to do. One of my followers told me that the airport’s Singapore Visitors Center offers FREE two-hour tours of the city, including transportation. There’s also a free shuttle that takes you to points in the city.

So you will never see me travel without my two smartphones and their corresponding Twitter apps: the Blackberry Curve with UberTwitter and the iPhone4 with Echofone (both great recommendations from my Twitter followers). And to borrow my favorite airline tag line – this one from the soon-to-be-departed AirTran Airways – go. There’s nothing stopping you!

American Eagle: Deep in the Heart of Texas

One of our 7 airline partners American Eagle, a division of American Airlines, along with its parent company, is headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Our roving photog decided to embark on a journey to this amazing metroplex and chronicle the trip on Twitter, Facebook and eventually in a video on the HIA Observation Deck. The point of the social media journey was to take you, the follower, fan, subscriber; community member along too!

The journey began with a 7:30 am departure from MDT to Chicago - O'Hare (ORD) on American Eagle, followed by a 9:55 am connection from ORD to Dallas/Fort Worth airport (DFW) on American Airlines. The air travel experience from start to finish was a breeze thanks to capable and friendly airline staff and easy experiences at ORD and DFW. The air travel came to a close with an 11:50 (local time) arrival at DFW.

Upon arrival in DFW, our photog was off to visit the American Airlines Training & Conference Center (AATCC) and the nearby C.R. Smith Museum. These two facilities are an aviation geek and prop-head's dream come true. The AATCC shares it's campus with the Flight Academy, home to different training programs, including but not limited to pilot, first officer, and flight attendant school. The campus is located at what was formerly the Stewardess College in the 1950s.

The C.R. Smith Museum is a chockful of American Airlines goodness: memorabilia, audio/visual learning, aircraft parts, simulators and of course a retired member of the AA fleet, the Flagship Knoxville, a DC3 that began her maiden voyage in 1940. We would need an additional blog post to share entire museum experience; very interactive, and fun!

Have we interested you yet in hopping on a plane to visit DFW via ORD on American? Have you already visited these facilities? What did you enjoy the most about your visit to DFW?

Emergency Exercise by the Numbers

The post event wrap-up of our full-scale emergency exercise, we're pleased to say, is a positive one! On Saturday evening, 9/18 at 8 pm we we conducted our exercise as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. The exercise was executed by 108 emergency personnel from the community, 75 volunteer victims, and 40 airport and airline personnel.

The 108 emergency personnel included fire, police and EMS from York, Dauphin and Lancaster counties. These personnel joined forces with airport fire and police personnel to rescue 75 volunteer victims, 13 adult dummies and 2 infant dummies in a simulated plane crash on the east end of MDT's runway. The victims and dummies were assigned varying degrees of injury and had to be treated accordingly by the first responders.

The participating fire, police and EMS included 33 apparatus from Lower Swatara Township, Middletown, High Spire, the PA 193rd Air National Guard, Londonderry, Steelton, Swatara Township, Hershey, Union Deposit, Bainbridge, Fairview Township, DESSP, Life Lion, Hershey, Northwest, Manheim Township, and Community Life team. Other participating agencies were Emergency Health Service Foundation, American Red Cross, Dauphin County coroner, Dauphin County Communications and the PA 193rd Air National Guard Airfield Management Security Forces.

As you can see a LOT of time, effort and personnel went into exercise. In a matter of 90 minutes these combined community efforts provided scene safety, assessment, victim treatment, transport, fire fighting, and many other activities in an effort to build team skills in the event that an actual emergency incident would take place on the airport campus. These concerted efforts made this exercise a success!

MDT would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of the participating agencies, personnel and volunteers that helped make this exercise happen. We would also like to thank you, the community for staying up-to-date on the exercise as well!

You can read through our archive of live tweets during the exercise and also view photos of the exercise.

Post Exercise Wrap-Up

Please accept our apologies for the wrap-up post delay, as we're still collecting a few informational pieces to put together a robust piece together for you on the full-scale emergency exercise from 9/18/10!

We'll go live with our final blog wrap-up tomorrow! Stay tuned!

An Intro to HIA's Full-Scale, Emergency Excercise

This evening (9/18/2010) beginning at 8 pm, Harrisburg International Airport, along with local emergency responders, will be conducting an FAA required full-scale, emergency exercise. We expect that the exercise, held on the airport campus, to be wrapped up by 12 midnight. Local residents, guests and passengers at HIA will see lights and hear sirens during this time, as HIA and airline employees, along with the local responders simulate and respond to a staged emergency aircraft incident. Anyone seeing or hearing any part of the exercise should not be alarmed, this is ONLY an exercise!

Emergency Exercise FAQ

So what's the point of an airport conducting an emergency exercise?

The goal of the exercise is to enable airport and community fire, security, medical,and other resources to join in an effective, coordinated response to airport emergencies.

How often do you have to hold an emergency exercise?

The FAA requires the exercises to be conducted every 3 years.

What do you do at the emergency exercise?

In the months prior to the emergency exercise taking place a oversight team at the airport decides what type of emergency incident will be simulated/practiced at the exercise. The type of emergency being practiced is then planned for, and then simulated on the day of the exercise. Types of incidents that are practiced varies from year to year and from airport to airport.

Who participates in the emergency exercise?

Fire, police, dispatch, EMT, paramedic, airport personnel, airline personnel participate in the exercise, along with a number of their friends/family as volunteers.

What do the friends/family volunteers do at the exercise?

These volunteers will pretend to be "victims" of the type of emergency incident being practiced at the exercise. They are often dressed with make-up and paint called "moulage" to simulate different types of injuries that may/might be received in a real event.

How do you determine if the participating parties have learned what they are supposed to?

At the close of the exercise, the parties involved meet for a debriefing meeting wherein a group of people that had been selected to observe the exercise share their observations. All aspects of the exercise are discussed and performance rated. The goal of the exercise debriefing is to make sure all parties involved know what went well and what aspects needed improvement.

What other questions do you have? Post them as a comment and we'll be happy to answer them! The FAA provides a full airport exercise guide, feel free to take a look.

We will be covering the exercise with live social media coverage as it unfolds, so stayed tuned to Facebook and Twitter for live updates!

And tomorrow we will publish a post-exercise wrap up blog post!

Are you a Social Air Traveler?

When you cruising through the terminal looking for your gate, you may notice that many of your fellow air travelers are engrossed in their smart phones, iPads, netbooks, laptops, or any number of other electronic handheld devices. Some of those travelers may even be occupied by multiple smart devices. What are they doing? They're emailing, uploading, downloading, texting, tweeting, posting, writing, compiling, computing, researching, reading, surfing, sharing, shopping, and the list of activities is endless! Did we miss any?

Each day more and more of these activities are becoming socially connected to those around us. We have ever increasing opportunities to share what we're doing with just about everyone that we're connected to through social networking sites. This revolution in how we participate in online activities makes us social at work, play, travel, life, and more. How are you connecting with your Social Graph?

If you are traveling alone, do you connect online via social media to keep in touch with your family and friends? If you're traveling with a colleague on business, do you converse over the web or over a cup of coffee?

How do you prefer to be social when flying?