By Jill Menze,

Consumers primarily communicate via social networks and messaging apps on their mobile devices, which means airlines should be utilizing those channels to offer customer support and drive brand loyalty. But how many have an active presence?

According to research from videc, which analyzed airline apps on Android devices, fewer than one in two airlines have integrated social channels into their mobile apps to provide real-time customer service.

Just 39% of traditional carrier apps offer social network plugins for customer support, while 55% of low-cost carrier apps include the service.

Even fewer across both carrier types incorporate live chat or third-party chat apps into their mobile offerings: 4% of traditional carriers and 15% of LCCs have live chat functionality, and 7% of traditional carriers and 5% of LCCs have third-party chat apps.

About 46% of traditional carriers provide customer service via email forms found in their airline apps compared to 20% of LCCs, and phone remains a prominent form of customer service for 80% of traditional carriers and 55% of LCCs.

Travel management

Airline apps are better about providing other travel management tools. Some 91% allow mobile check-in, and 70% support mobile notifications.

About 83% of airline apps reflect flight statuses, and 55% issue mobile boarding passes.

However, there’s always room for improvement: Only 17% of airline apps show flight cancelations, and just 27% of apps support flight changes.

Read original story on Phocuswire.