Published on Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Skyscanner takes Facebook to the next level

Flight comparison site Skyscanner has launched a way of finding flights via Facebook.

The new ‘Skyscanner for Facebook’ tool allows Facebook users to post a flight request on Skyscanner’s Wall and receive a price quote and flight details back in seconds.

The tool has been created specifically for Facebook functionality, which means there is no need to navigate away from the Facebook site or install any apps.

Users simply ‘like’ the Skyscanner page to use the tool.

The post also includes a link to the flight details on the main Skyscanner site, from where flights can be booked or options filtered.

The service uses ‘free text’ technology that means customers don’t have to select pre-set dates or destinations.

TravelMole tested the site and it did, indeed, come back with a response within a minute.

For example, the Mole posted “Gatwick to Amsterdam, July 29" and within seconds Skyscanner Flight Search had emailed back with a link to flight options, including £121 Cheapest direct (easyJet) £135 Cheapest indirect (British Airways, easyJet) £140 Shortest (1 hour 10 minutes out, 1 hour back).


It included a link to all 126 results and a link to click for further searches.

Even if customers don’t have specific dates, they can enter “Manchester to Malaga in August” to request a quote for the cheapest flights in that month.

Skyscanner director of sales and marketing Frank Skivington said: “Travel companies are starting to realise that there is more to Facebook than collecting fans, and we’re proud to have developed a pioneering tool for members that has been created with Facebook users in mind.”




To try the Facebook flight search click here.


At TravelMole's next Travel Industry Question Time, the subject under debate is social media and whether the travel industry is fully taking advantage of it.


The event is now full, due to a flood of registrations.


If you would like to share your views on the effectiveness of social media as a sales and marketing tool, please email us by clicking on ADD A COMMENT below. Do you think Skyscanner's new service will be a success? Is it something your company is also looking at? We would like to hear your views.


 

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• Evature
  
  

  The text parser used to comprehend the Facebook comment is EVA, a Travel Search Language Parser by Evature. See http://blog.evature.com/2011/06/facebook-flight-search-powered-by.html

  By Tal Weiss, Thursday, June 30, 2011