Article from BTNews 13 JUNE 2016
Heathrow joins Weibo
In a first for UK airports, Heathrow last week launched its presence on Weibo, the social-media platform known as the “Chinese Twitter” and used by more than 600m people across the world.
The microblogging website allows users to post real-time messages of up to 140 Chinese characters. Heathrow says with an estimated 91% of users interacting with Weibo on mobile, the platform is ideal for Chinese passengers on the move.
The airport says its presence on Weibo is designed to promote the UK generally while also acting as a customer-service tool to give Chinese passengers real-time information about their airport journeys.
Heathrow's Weibo presence complements its existing WeChat account, which enables one-to-one conversations between passengers and a dedicated airport team.
Head of passenger communications Marc Ellams noted the airport’s social-media presence on the likes of Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook had been a driving force in changing the way customers seek advice, assistance or travel inspiration from the airport.
Heathrow’s Twitter account currently holds the record for the number of followers of an airport, with 380,000 users subscribed.
“The account has become a crucial part of the airport's control centre, delivering real-time customer support while providing controllers with a virtual pulse check on the airport's operation and passengers’ experiences,” Ellam added.
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