Given how competitive the airline industry is these days, airlines know that they need to offer more than just cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages to positively differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Towards that end, KLM Airlines has introduced a new social networking program that allows passengers to link their flight reservations with their Facebook and/or Linked In profiles. They can also find out who else is on their flights and make seat selections or other flight plans using that information.
KLM is calling its new program Meet & Seat and wants This new service to connect passengers and to give them a more inspirational journey. Initially this program will only be available on flights from Amsterdam to New York, San Francisco, and Sao Paulo. The goal is to eventually make this program available on all KLM intercontinental flights.
By going to KLMs Manage My Booking section online passengers flying on flights offering this program can select personal information from their Facebook or LinkedIn account to share with other passengers and then link their flight reservations to their profiles.
KLM passengers will then be able to determine if someone they know is traveling on the same flight as well as determine who will be attending the same conference in the U.S. If desired, passengers can arrange to meet for coffee before departure, select adjacent seats, or decide to share a taxi at their destination.
KLM claims to be the first airline to integrate social networking into its regular flight process. www.cheapfares.com