TransAsia Airways lets customers buy airplane tickets via Facebook

TransAsia Airways has introduced a “Book My Flight” tab on their Facebook page, allowing travelers to make their airline ticket purchase using PayPal without even leaving Facebook. This is the first Singapore example of social media sales in the travel industry.

Social media has influenced many industries, changing the consumer’s travel decision-making through deals and photos shared by their social network. According to consulting firm, EyeForTravel, the 2012 report ‘Social Media & Mobile Travel’ says that with 7 in 10 travel brands professed that social media has improved their engagement with customers, as well as generated direct bookings from social media sites.

People who have purchased tickets via the airline’s Facebook Page are students, couples, young working adults and new families. They prefer travelling on their own itineraries, range from 25 – 34 years of age, and consist of a high ratio of females. They belong to the fastest growing segment of the travel market, making up 50% of the purchases.

It’s no coincidence that these customers are the same ones who grew up with social media as a part of their daily lives, choosing to research destinations and interests online — via Facebook, blogs and online guides.

A majority of these IT-savvy customers are already PayPal users, hence the integration of TransAsia’s booking engine with PayPal’s payment services has streamlined and simplified the purchasing process for customers, which is a critical for user-experience.

Currently, only a handful of airlines have adopted a Facebook ticket-purchase feature — Delta Airlines, Swiss Airlines, Air New Zealand, Easyjet and Lufthansa.

Launched in May 2012, the ‘Book My Flight’ tab on TransAsia Airways’ Facebook page has seen over 200 return flights sold through Facebook in the first three months.

TransAsia Airways is a full-service airline established since 1951, and offers daily flights from Singapore to Taipei, and was recently honoured by Global View Magazine with “The Best International Airline Service Award 2011.”

About the author

Sharon Yar is a self-confessed Coca-Cola addict, paper model maker, aspiring karaoke superstar – and also Creative Entrepreneur at Peepshow Creative. With close to 16 years of experience in consumer advertising, her portfolio of clients includes Singapore Airlines, Volkswagen, Sony, Nike, Levi’s, Tiger Beer, Chivas Regal, Raffles Hotels and Four Seasons. She has developed campaigns across a wide range of channels, including Corporate Identity, Web Design, Digital, Social Media and App Development. Want to know more? Email Sharon at yar (at) peepshowcreative.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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