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KLM To Launch ‘Social Seating’ Service

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Marissa McNaughton | 28 Comments

KLM To Launch 'Social Seating' ServiceLooking to do some in-flight networking? KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is planning to launch a “social seating” service, where passengers will be able to link their social media profile to their check-in information, and then choose a seating partner based on the social media profiles of other passengers.

This service, which KLM hopes to launch in the next year, will be available to all passengers checking in online, although passengers can choose whether they want their social media profiles to be made available to others on the flight. The social seating concept – sharing profiles from Facebook or LinkedIn – could create solid networking opportunities for business travelers, as reported by Radio Netherlands.

The service has not yet been ‘officially’ announced, but was discussed by a top executive at a recent conference.

What do you think?  Will passengers want to open their social profiles to other (unknown) passengers in the hopes of expanding their network?

Posted in: Blog, Social Media Campaigns

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About the Author

Marissa McNaughton

Marissa was tricked into working for Modern Media by a Facebook message promising her an iPad. She facilitates all things community for Modern Media and The Realtime Report.

When not at work, Marissa can be found surfing, outdoors, or teaching yoga throughout the East End. Previously, she worked in event planning and philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy, and as General Manager of the Hamptons Shakespeare Festival, a grassroots non-profit theater in Montauk.

Marissa grew up on Long Island and now lives in Montauk, NY. She graduated with a BA in English & History from Yale University.

  • jeffespo

    @Britopian question is will you be a pioneer test dummy?

  • tonia_ries

    @Britopian have a good trip!

    • Britopian

      @tonia_ries thank you! : )

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  • KathrynHallPR

    Wow. RT @WileyBiz Dutch airlines KLM to launch “social seating” next year. Pick your seatmate from FB or LinkedIn: http://t.co/QOB4895V

  • katiefitzpat

    @taylorloren I hate it when people talk to me on the plane. I don’t want them thinking we have something in common! #misanthrope

  • ColinLAdams

    @tiffany_macrae Will you be limited to one? Or could they introduce it on a speed-dating principle?

  • MrGrillet

    @tiffany_macrae That’s going to be awkward if you end up sitting next to someone you don’t like and they think you don’t mind “networking”.

    • tiffany_macrae

      @MrGrillet LOL! Agree. There should be a social network for things you hate–that will avoid any seating blunders.

  • http://freetraffictip.com/ Tinu

    I’m not a fan of plane friends. If I’m traveling alone, I want to go to sleep or watch the movie or be on my laptop with headphones. Before tech got so portable I would fake being asleep to not talk to people.

    Having said that, international flights are different for me. I don’t necessarily want to be best friends with the person sitting next to me, but it would be nice to be acquainted to the person I have to almost graze or who is almost grazing me whenever they go the rest room. And KLM is an airline I only encounter when flying internationally.

    I think it would also just serve as a better indicator of who I should be seated with – I’d much rather be next to another late night tweeter than a person who I am 80% sure is asleep and not being disturbed by me, but not really quite positive. Interesting idea. I’d like to see follow up posts about how this plays out.

    • http://therealtimereport.com/ tonia_ries

      @Tinu I love meeting new people – but keep to myself on planes because you never know when someone’s not going to stop talking! That said – this is an interesting idea; it’ll be all about the execution, though! Love the tweets in the comments (see below) about a speed-dating angle to this! :-)

  • canadianstupid6

    @marissenmark http://t.co/owaW8N6b

  • alanwsilberberg

    @_adriankh Thanks! ;)

  • janrezab

    @steverubel I am not sure people want that. :)

    • Holaba

      @janrezab @steverubel The #KLM-tweetseats wil be booked by those who cannot stop talking and (net) working. Highflyers for sure.

  • josiecat

    @docgotham Social Seating strikes me as one step away from airplane speed dating.

  • phon

    @jeroxie Blergh. I had the same idea. We were gonna pitch it to Virgin! haha

    • jeroxie

      @phon then what happened? they do not like it?

      • phon

        @jeroxie Haven’t pitched it YET lol. But it’s a great idea, I think. Perfect for virgin if done right.

        • jeroxie

          @phon I can understand ticket sales for movies, concerts but plane? Logic?

        • TristaSyalLEVA

          @jeroxie Free plane ticket SWEET http://t.co/QvHk2l4S

  • Abby Ziff

    Tonia- I’d like to give a shout out to “anti-social seating” to ensure I don’t have to talk to anyone while I’m on the plane! ;)

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  • JohnMcNeil

    Interesting… I just found @seatid (http://www.seatid.com). They are also doing Social Seating…

    • http://therealtimereport.com/ tonia_ries

      @JohnMcNeil@seatid looks very cool – will definitely play with it!

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