Facebook has long been the place for friends to share vacation snapshots. Now travelers can book airline tickets from the social networking site.
Delta Air Lines launched its social media ticket window on Thursday, which allows Facebook users to select and pay for flights through www.facebook.com/delta without ever leaving the site.
"We're now delivering technology where our customers are -- on our own website to our Facebook page to Internet news sites and beyond," Bob Kupbens, Delta's vice president of e-commerce, said in a statement.
The airline is also planning to offer its ticket window on other sites and a way to book tickets from within the airline's banner ads is also in the works.
Comments from Facebook users ranged from wow! to wary.Some complained about not being able to book flights originating overseas through Facebook, something a Delta spokesman says the company hopes to add in early 2011.
"Delta is making themselves more available to more people in more ways, and that can't be bad," said Minneapolis airline expert Terry Trippler.
The launch of the ticket window is just one of the airline's technology-related projects. Besides redesigning the Web page, it enhanced its smart-phone site and has plans to launch a new iPhone application. The airline is also helping customers with travel issues on Twitter at www.twitter.com/deltaassist.
Kara McGuire • 612-673-7293
