Airline lets passengers choose seat partners based on social media profiles

KLM's new Meet and Seat service will enable passengers to choose who they sit next to based on Facebook and LinkedIn profiles.

As mentioned in our recent article on Malaysia Airlines’ MHBuddy Facebook-based platform, KLM are reportedly developing a similar service to enable passengers to choose who they sit next to on their flight. However, unlike MHBuddy, which operates solely through Facebook, KLM’s new Meet and Seat service will enable passengers to access their fellow travelers’ LinkedIn profiles as well. The Meet and Seat service will allow passengers to choose their in-flight neighbors based on their occupation, mutual interests and appearance. By connecting to LinkedIn and Facebook during online check-in, passengers will be able to pick their ideal seat buddy, although both parties will have to choose to participate in the service. KLM believe it will provide an opportunity for networking, though other reports suggest it’s more likely to be used as a matchmaking tool. Those who are not interested in making friends or contacts on their journey do not have to participate. Meet and Seat is due to launch early this year. Giving customers the power to choose who they sit next to presents an opportunity to make the journey more enjoyable, profitable or simply more interesting. Time for other travel operators to follow suit? Spotted by: RP