Flight delays are *insert inappropriate word* annoying. They cause chaos at the airport, bring out the worst in people and force airport staff to smile through clenched teeth.
But they’re also inevitable, which means as a traveller or airline employee you can either fight them until your blood boils or find a way to lighten the situation.
American Airlines has decided to do the latter.
The carrier’s social media staff has taken a humourous approach to the thousands of flight cancellations and delays around the US caused by the unpredictable Winter Storm Grayson.
Major airports around the country were forced to temporarily suspend operations yesterday when the ‘bomb cyclone’ arrived with heavy snow fall and strong winds.
Gateways and airlines took to social media to provide their flyers with regular updates, including American Airlines’ which delivered important information with touches of comedy.
First, the carrier announced it had issued a special ‘travel alert’ for the storm by advising guests ‘stay warm, folks!’
We’ve got a travel alert in place for Winter Storm #Grayson. Stay warm, folks! https://t.co/kNkPUilgez
— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) January 3, 2018
And later reminded social media users of further delays and cancellations by telling them that “Winter Storm #Grayson has no chill”.
Winter Storm #Grayson has no chill. Check your flight before heading out. We’ve updated our travel alert with more cities and dates. https://t.co/kNkPUiCR67
— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) January 4, 2018
These amusing touches may not sound like much, but they go a long way in calming what is usually a sh#t storm of complaints on social media.
For example, the airline’s Twitter team manage to convert the “why am I still on hold” and “I don’t like my rescheduled time” comments into a string of positive responses such as:
— Wilson (@WilsonCalvert) January 4, 2018
Props to @AmericanAir today for prompt rebooking
— Bill Guglielmi (@Bgug1953) January 4, 2018
Oh, #Grayson has chill. It just doesn't have the good kind of chill. #ISeeWhatYouWereTryingToDo
— Jeremy Moses (@JeremyMoses85) January 4, 2018
Best of luck as you work with passengers. PASSENGERS. Please be patient with the airline. Be mindful that this is not their fault and they will work hard to accommodate your travel needs.
— Esteban Blanco (@Estebs1978) January 4, 2018
The friendly touches also helped the airline reach more customers than its competitors, with more likes and retweets.
Meanwhile, flight cancellations and delays are expected to continue through on Friday despite New York’s JFK reopening early this morning.
READ: 1,500 flights cancelled in US snow storm
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