Airlines reassess presence on Elon Musk's rebranded social media platform

The financial aspect of maintaining a presence on X has become another factor for consideration. Changes implemented by Musk include placing the platform's application programming interface (API) behind a paywall and introducing charges for gold verification marks that were once free. Business Insider reported that API costs could amount to tens of thousands of dollars monthly, prompting Air France and KLM to end customer service via X.

While some airlines have departed from X entirely or ceased customer service interactions, others like Delta and British Airways continue to engage with users through verified accounts. The landscape remains mixed; many airlines have reduced activity but retained their accounts.

Globally, government censorship has impacted airline activity on X in countries like Russia and China where access is restricted or banned altogether. For instance, Aeroflot stopped posting after Russia blocked Twitter following its invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.

Despite these challenges, most airlines still maintain a presence across multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok which they find more aligned with their corporate values.

Airlines' decisions regarding their use of X reflect a complex interplay between content moderation concerns under Musk's leadership and financial considerations related to platform usage costs. The future will reveal whether more airlines choose to exit or adapt their strategies concerning this evolving social media landscape.