KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is joining Malaysia Airlines in starting a service early next year to let passengers pick seatmates based on similar interests in a trend that will almost certainly escalate.
Travelers will be able to link Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to their check-in information.
KLM says the service will be available to all passengers checking in online, but travelers can choose whether or not to make their profiles publically available.
Malaysia Airlines has already released a service on Facebook that lets passengers see which friends are taking the same flight or visiting a destination at the same time.
KLM’s new service will be known as “meet and seat.” But the airline says details still have to be worked out.
Will it involve a fee, as other services do?
KLM says that has yet to be decided.
By David Wilkening
