This just in from a reader who’s a frequent flyer. It’s creepy, even though it is voluntary. I have no words, so I’ll just let him tell it:
Hi Claire,
This is just too weird.
KLM will help singles hook up on flights between Amsterdam and New York, San Francisco and Sao Paulo. They call it “Meet and Seat.” The basic idea is that single travelers can browse the Facebook and LinkedIn pages of strangers booked on the same flight, and request a seat next to them.
I thought it was a joke until I went to the KLM website:
http://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/prepare_for_travel/on_board/Your_seat_on_board/meet_and_seat.htm
Be sure and watch the video, even if you have to lower your guards a bit. I’m pretty sure KLM servers are safe, although now I’ll wonder about the seats.
This is pretty weird. The destinations, conditions (single passenger bookings only), and advertising all suggest that male homosexuals are the primary target audience. There aren’t any images of women in the promotional video.
The privacy implications are pretty awful, but perhaps for the gay hookup crowd that’s not an issue.
Here’s a slice of libertopia served up for us both: large corporations promoting casual sex liaisons as a way to sell more airline seats. Oh, those Dutch.
Maybe KLM is capitalizing on the fact that someone that was just involuntarily groped by a stranger from TSA, might just like the chance to be groped by a friendly stranger of their choosing.
Hopefully, KLMs system is opt-in; that is, travelers have to sign up to have their information made available for others to check out if they want to sit next to them.
If not, well, as KLM is a business and not a government, everyone can choose whether they still wish to fly with them.
I do often make 8-14 hour international flights, and there has been more than a few occasions where I wish I could have avoided being stuck with some obnoxious person next to me. 🙂
There not gay they just have a wide stance!
they should adopt a new marketing slogan: “Fly United” 😉
Johnathan, according to the linked info, you must first share your information before it is made available to other passengers:
How does it work
Gawd…….
i dont know what this says about me but all I can think of is how great of a prank this would theoretically make…sign up your buddy to sit next to some flamboyant flamer…would make for some funny embarrasing photos in flight…