KLM to Trial Social Seating

 

Making friends

Photo by Jeff Bauche._.·´¯)

Dutch national carrier KLM is going to take social networking to the next level.  People who always beg check agents to seat them next to someone attractive will not have to do so any longer. From early 2012 KLM passengers will be able to choose their in-flight neighbour themselves through Facebook or Linkedin, two of the major social networking websites around.

KLM Passengers can choose to open their profile for check-in so that they can pick someone to sit next to with similar interests in business or personal lives. KLM sees it as a perfect way to network on a business level. And who knows, it could potentially also be a great way to meet new friends or become travel buddies.

It’s a nice idea from KLM and you’ve got to hand it to them, it is the perfect way to bring what many people call the de-socialisation of our society onto a more personal and less virtual level. And who knows what will be next if it proves to be a success? Maybe passengers could link up their online dating profile to each other as well? Then love will certainly be in the air.

On the other hand it could also be a potential in-flight social disaster. Imagine you’ve picked someone who seems great to sit next to and then he or she only turns out to be the biggest bore in the world? You could be stuck with that person for 11 hours or more in the worst case scenario. That could turn out to be a very, very long flight. So do think carefully before you pick someone if you’re going to use KLM’s social seating option as there will be no ‘ignore button’  added to this social networking tool.

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