Airlines are more responsive to customers on Instagram than on Facebook and X

Emplifi, a customer engagement platform, has released data on the social media performance of global airlines, analysing sentiment and response rates across Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) during the periods of 1 January to 31 May 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Emplifi’s findings reveal that review sentiment for airlines is most positive on Instagram, with over half reflecting favorable sentiments. In comparison, 34% of comments on Facebook and only 15% on X were positive. Looking at the year-over-year history, sentiment on Instagram has remained overwhelmingly positive over the past four years, increasing nearly four percentage points in the past year.

Airlines also recorded the highest response rates on Instagram compared to Facebook and other platforms. As of 2022, travelers are most likely to receive answers to their questions on Instagram (27%), compared to X (24%) and Facebook (20%).

As consumers book flights for the summer, Emplifi data underscores the critical importance of Instagram for airlines. According to a survey by Airlines for America (A4A), a trade association supporting U.S. airline operators, half of U.S. adults took flights in 2023, and more than 70% of respondents indicated they are taking the same or more business trips than they did before the pandemic. The A4A survey also found that 71% of travelers said they were satisfied with their overall air travel experience last year.

On the other hand, in Mexico, according to the Ministry of Tourism, in 2023 the number of passengers transported on domestic flights increased 11.3% compared to 2022, while 55 million 171 thousand passengers were transported on international flights, 10% more than the previous year.

Susan Ganeshan, Chief Marketing Officer at Emplifi, commented: “Airlines face huge pressure online, but our data shows that customer sentiment on Instagram is overwhelmingly positive. On Facebook and X, sentiment has remained largely neutral over the past five years.” Ganeshan highlighted the importance of airlines actively listening and responding to customers, closely monitoring their customer service needs on social media: “By prioritising customer service on these channels, you not only foster brand loyalty, but also contribute significantly to revenue growth.”

Emplifi also revealed the top ten airline brands mentioned on X both in the US and globally. In the US, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and JetBlue were the most mentioned airlines on X between January and May of this year. Globally, the most mentioned brands were British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Delta Airlines, respectively. In Mexico, the most mentioned airlines were Aeromexico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus.

Source: Emplifi