Monday, December 19, 2011

Dutch Airlines Allows Passengers to Pick Seat After Looking at Other Passengers Social Media Profiles


You know how you’re always curious about who you will be sitting next to whenever you fly? It could be someone that leaves you very little elbow room, a crying baby or an individual that simply will not stop their yacking. Well, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has eliminated some of that mystery. Some people are saying that the airline has taken blind dating to the next level.

According to USA Today, KLM is developing a way that passengers can select who they want to sit by with the help of social media. The company will now be allowing their passengers to select where they want to sit by examining the social media profiles of the other passengers.

When you book your flight, you are given the option of browsing the Facebook and LinkedIn profiles of other passengers that are also on your flight. This allows you to find a seatmate that has interests similar to yours or to simply choose someone that you think is attractive. However, to be able to browse other passengers' social media profiles, the passengers must have opted to link their e-ticket to their profiles. This is not required of passengers when they buy their tickets. It is a merely an option.

Lots of people are voicing their opinions on Twitter about this new way of selecting a seat. Some people like it, while others seem to think that it is slightly creepy.
Stumac01 tweeted that it is a great way “to go 'Mile High' with the hottest girl on the flight. The power will be in your hands," he said.

However laurastott1 said, “I cannot think of anything worse than this. Matchmaking via your seat choice in-flight, more like mile-high stalking."

cklenotic simply said, "That could be a LONG flight if it doesn't work out."

Although this is a new concept for airlines, it is not their first introduction to creative uses of social media. Back in February Malaysia Airlines released a Facebook app that allows passengers to book, check-in and then search for Facebook friends that are on the same flight or are traveling to nearby destinations, all without leaving Facebook.

I think that all of it is a little bit creepy, but if people are willing to put themselves out there like that to be judged by the rest of the passengers on their flight, then that is their choice. It will be interesting to see how many people are actually willing to link their social media profile to their e-ticket.

Sources: PCMag - Dutch Airline Lets Passengers Pick Seats By Perusing Facebook Profiles and SkyNews HD - KLM To Offer Mile-High Dating Via Facebook



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