Utility template
Flight delay
Meta category: Utility
Utility templates confirm or update something the person already asked for: an order, a booking, an appointment, or a payment they owe on an existing invoice. A discount, a new product, or a 'while you are here' line moves the template into marketing.
A delay on a flight they are ticketed on is an operational update. It is utility if you stick to the new time and do not sell a hotel.
Template body
Hi {{1}}, {{2}} scheduled for {{3}} is delayed. The new time is on your booking page and may move again. Your ticket stays on this flight. We are not rebooking you in this message.Sample values
Submit these as the examples Meta reviews. Replace them with your own customer data only at send time.
| Variable | Sample |
|---|---|
| {{1}} | Neel |
| {{2}} | 6E 2034 BOM to JAI |
| {{3}} | 8:10 am |
Buttons
See the new time
Website link
https://trail.example/b/{{1}}
Sample: https://trail.example/b/6E2034
When to use it
Send it when you have a confirmed delay from the airline, not from a rumour in a group. The new time lives on the page because it will change again. Say that you are not rebooking them, so nobody assumes a new PNR exists.
If the flight is cancelled, do not use this template. Cancellation needs its own wording and a human. A delay message on a cancelled flight is the complaint that reaches social media.
Tips for getting it approved
- No hotel voucher or meal coupon in the body unless it is already issued and linked.
- State the original departure so they know which sector you mean.
- Do not blame the airline with language you cannot prove.
Frequently asked questions
Why not put the new departure time in the message?
Because delays update. A time frozen in an approved send becomes wrong, and passengers leave for the airport on it. The page can change. The chat tells them to look.
Should connecting passengers get the same text?
Only if {{2}} is their delayed sector. A connection risk is a different message and often needs an agent, not a template.