US Airways says lewd tweet was a mistake

Is US Airways tweet the worst #fail ever?
Is US Airways tweet the worst #fail ever?

It's not the first corporate Twitter blunder, but it might be one of the most obscene.

A link to a pornographic image was included in a tweet from the US Airways twitter account Monday. The company says it was a mistake.

US Airways was replying to a customer who was complaining about service on Twitter. The company's response said it welcomes feedback and the link should have led to a web page where customers can submit complaints on its website.

The image was initially posted to US Airways' Twitter stream by a user and flagged by the airline as inappropriate, the company said. But the airline then "inadvertently" included a link to the pornographic image in one of its own tweets.

It was deleted as soon as US Airways realized the error.

"We deeply regret the mistake and we are currently reviewing our processes to prevent such errors in the future," said a company spokeswoman in a prepared statement.

Social media #fails of 2013
Social media #fails of 2013

US Airways, which is owned by American Airlines Group (AAL), is only the latest company to ignite an Internet firestorm over a tweet. AT&T (T) was criticized for a lack of sensitivity when it posted an image of a smartphone taking a picture of the Twin Towers memorial on 9/11 and Chick-fil-A had to apologize after its president sent out an anti-gay tweet.

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