Going...Going...Gone: Airlines Tweet Low Prices

JetBlue and United Airlines are giving loyal readers of their Twitter feeds chances to grab low fares, USA Today reports. But customers have to act quickly: JetBlue makes the fares available for about 8 hours or while seats last, while United often gives customers just an hour or two to score a deal. For the airlines, it’s a hip and quick way to advertise.

“By promoting the Cheeps”—JetBlue’s name for the deals—“through Twitter, we give the already spontaneous audience of Twitter users a chance to grab great last-minute fares,” says a JetBlue rep. “Those first-time customers trying Cheeps … we know they're going to come back." United has another name for the ads. “Twares are all about surprising our customers with low fares for a very, very limited time.”
(More Twitter stories.)