Delta Debuts First Airline Social Media “Ticket Window”

Delta Air Lines launched what it says is the airline industry’s first social media “Ticket Window” enabling bookings directly from Delta’s Face book page and other social media sites. The Delta Ticket Window, along with a newly designed home page at delta.com introduced earlier this week, offers the first visual cues of the airline’s planned transformation in customer-facing technology.

“Our customers are spending more time online and are looking for new ways to connect with us,” said Bob Kupbens, Delta’s vice president-E-Commerce. “We’re now delivering technology where our customers are — from our own website to our Face book page to Internet news sites and beyond, We already know Face book is the most used website by inflight -WiFi users on more than 2,000 Delta flights every day, giving us the natural launching point for a new online Ticket Window.”

Delta’s Ticket Window allows any of Face book’s 500 million users to complete a full travel booking using a dedicated “tab” at facebook.com/delta without navigating to delta.com. Delta plans to expand its Ticket Window to other sites, including online banner ads to allow full booking capabilities within the airline’s advertisements.

The redesign of Delta’s home page is the first step toward a larger redesign which will continue to improve the online experience on delta.com and its affiliated technology, including airport kiosks, to offer more functionality to customers. The immediate home page changes include easier access to flight booking, status updates, online check-in and SkyMiles account information.

Earlier this month Delta enhanced its smart phone site and will continue to deliver other popular consumer applications. In the coming weeks, Delta plans to launch a new IPhone application to offer customers the ability to check in for flights, check flight status, review flight schedules, set a parking reminder, review SkyMiles account balance and use E-Boarding passes (in select cities) directly from their mobile devices. Future releases of the app will enable customers to book flights, select their seats and track their Medallion status and other features that will streamline customer real-time travel experiences.

Delta has continued to expand its interaction with customers on social sites, including facebook.com/delta, twitter.com/delta, blog.delta.com and is now providing real-time travel assistance at twitter.com/deltaassist. For more information on Delta, visit www.delta.com.via Delta Debuts First Airline Social Media “Ticket Window”.