Twitter applications launched for Manchester Airport

Last month I wrote about the launch of the twitter profile for Manchester Airport. A few weeks in and the tweeting team at the Airport are doing a great job, interacting with the twitter public on a scale we weren’t expecting and putting twitter search to good use to promote their summer retail vouchers and provide friendly, helpful advice to travellers.

Manchester Airport’s twitter profile

Last week we launched two applications that will help the airport make the most of this new channel and add real value to their twitter followers.

Live flight info via Twitter

Thanks to a sprinkling of API magic dust, followers of @manairport can now subscribe to receive live flight status updates by twitter direct message. Here’s how it works:

• Follow @manairport and they’ll follow you right back. This is important as the service uses direct messaging and you can only send DMs to users who are following you.
• Send a DM containing your flight number. You receive confirmation immediately and a status update as soon as the app can retrieve it. The application uses the same information as the Arrival and Departure boards. As long as your flight is due to arrive or depart no more than 12 hours in the future, the app will have information for you. If it doesn’t you will be sent a link to the full flight list.
• You will receive an update by DM every time the status of your chosen flight(s) changes until the plane has taken of (for departures) or the passengers are collecting their baggage (for arrivals). If you wish to stop receiving updates before then simply send a DM with the word CANCEL.

Try it out yourself right now!

(This example should work everyday between 8.20am and 10.20pm)

Follow for Vouchers, Retweet for prizes

Everyone likes free stuff, right? This is a campaign which aims to increase twitter followers and also boost retail and catering sales at the airport with the use of discount vouchers.

People arriving at www.manchesterairport.co.uk/twitter are invited to connect with the application to confirm they are following @manairport. Once this is confirmed the user is given access to 5 special discount vouchers that can be used in the airport retail and catering outlets.

They are also invited to Tweet a prepared message in order to be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win £500 worth of goods from Manchester Airport retail plus a stay in a hotel and free airport parking. The tweet can be sent from right there within the app or manually.

The winner is selected at random from all of the retweets that our twitterbot finds.

Why not enter now to grab your vouchers and be in the prize draw?