Using Facebook and LinkedIn to choose flight seatmate

ISTANBUL

Archival Reuters photo

Beginning this month, Dutch airline KLM will begin testing its “Meet and Seat,” program allowing passengers to upload information from social media sites while choosing seatmates on flights, according to the New York Times.

The program is an update from less successful trials in the past – with airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic – where personal information from Facebook or LinkedIn will personalize the seat selection process for frequent flyer members.

The idea is a simple action of extending the social media community and the information it holds to airline preferences in order to physically bring together people with the same interests in airline seating schematics.

Malaysia Airlines has been another company adopting the concept with its own “MHBuddy,” application allowing passengers to check in via the airlines’ Facebook page and displaying their “friends” who might be on the same flight or headed to the same destination.

In late 2010, “Planely,” a Dutch start-up company, allowed registered users to submit their itineraries to view other passengers’ Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, connecting more than 1,500 travelers up to now.

“Satisfly,” in Hong Kong allows users to choose flight “moods,” or details such as their language knowledge, to personalize seat assignments.

KLM’s service is available for confirmed reservation holders willing to share their social media data which then allows them to see others who have done the same and choose among them upon seat availability.