KLM flight info easy to find through verified WhatsApp account

Offering flight information to customers through a verified WhatsApp business account makes information easy to access in a single place, making it available at the airport, en route or at home. Customers can also directly contact KLM’s social media service agents, 24/7, via WhatsApp. The service is available to customers who book tickets or check in via KLM.com and opt-in to receive information via WhatsApp.

Secure messages

Messages are secure so that they can only be read by the customer and KLM, and no one else, not even WhatsApp. Customers can easily recognise verified businesses using the official WhatsApp business application. This means that customers will see a green checkmark badge next to the KLM contact name on WhatsApp.

KLM and Social Media

Since 2009, KLM has gained a reputation as pioneer in the field of social media services and campaigns. KLM has over 25 million fans and followers on various social media platforms. Through these channels, KLM receives over 100,000 mentions every week, 15,000 of which are questions or remarks. These are personally answered by more than 250 service agents, who form the world’s largest, dedicated social media team. On WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, WeChat and KakaoTalk (Korean), KLM offers her customers a 24/7 one-stop-shop in nine different languages: Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. During office hours, KLM also offers services in Italian. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer customers the option of receiving flight documents and status updates via Messenger, Twitter and WeChat.

KLM on Twitter and WeChat

KLM has over 2.2 million fans on Twitter and receives more than 25,000 mentions on a weekly basis. In September 2014, KLM started her WeChat account, offering passengers 24/7 service, brand content and commercial offers. WeChat is the no. 1 social media platform in Mainland China with 938 million monthly active users. KLM has over 120,000 fans and receives over 6000 questions a week, which shows that Chinese customers appreciate this platform to communicate with KLM.

KLM on Messenger

Last year, KLM introduced the KLM flight info service via Messenger, which proved to be a success. More than 1.4 million customers received their KLM flight documents and updates via Messenger, 10% of all online KLM bookings are confirmed via this channel and 15% of all online KLM boarding passes are sent via Messenger.

About KLM and Social Media

Since 2009 KLM gained a reputation as an initiator and pioneer in the area of social media services and campaigns in the social landscape. In April 2017, KLM had over 25 million fans and followers on various social media platforms. Through these channels, KLM receives over 100,000 mentions every week, 15,000 of which are questions or remarks. These are personally replied to by our 250 service agents, forming the world’s largest dedicated social media team. On Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, WeChat and KakaoTalk KLM offers her customers a 24/7 one-stop-shop in 9 different languages: Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. During office hours KLM also services in Italian.

The KLM app can now be used on Android tablets and a travel inspiration section is available on both systems. Flying Blue members’ FB Miles total and membership status can now also be checked at a glance on smartphones and tablets. From April, it will even be possible to use the app to pay with FB miles for flight-related services, such as extra baggage or à la carte meals.

Airbnb has also been integrated into the app, giving travellers easy insight into accommodation at their destination. To complete the service, passengers have the option of arranging an Uber via the KLM app.

The KLM app can now be downloaded free of charge via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The “Layover with a Local” app will be available from mid-March and the service is initially for travellers departing from the United States, Canada and Italy. To sign up in advance, click klm.com/layover

Upon entering Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s “geofence”, passengers automatically receive a notification with gate information and their boarding time. Opening the notification allows the passenger to swipe between all relevant flight information. An hour before departure, passengers receive a message with their boarding pass, ready to be scanned at the gate. A final notification with the passenger’s seat number is sent just before departure.

In line with this vision, KLM last year launched an airport navigation service using iBeacon technology that helps transfer passengers find their next gate at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

KLM is testing the smartwatch technology in order to benefit from user experiences. This will also be helpful for the Apple Watch app.

You can find the app here.

KLM has more than 10 million fans and followers on social media. KLM has more than 6 million fans on Facebook, and crossed the 1 million follower mark on Twitter last month. KLM receives more than 35,000 mentions a week on social media, around 4,500 of which are queries, which are handled by 130 service agents, who are available 24/7. Customers can contact KLM in one of ten different languages: Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Norwegian, Russian and Japanese.

How does it work?

KLM sends a link to the customer in a private message on Facebook or Twitter. The customer can then select their preferred method of payment and complete the transaction. The social media service agent at KLM then receives a message to say that payment has been received and the customer in turn receives confirmation of the payment.

The 130 social media agents at KLM answer around 35,000 queries on Facebook and Twitter every week. Last week KLM welcomed its five-millionth Facebook fan, making KLM the airline with the most fans in the world.

The addition of Norwegian and Russian allows KLM to offer even better service in  those markets. After all, Norway is an extremely important market for KLM. Following the addition of Ålesund last April, KLM now flies to seven Norwegian destinations. And social media are hot in Russia. Many Russians are plugged into Facebook, Twitter and their very own platform, VKontakte (vk.com). It is for this reason that KLM has chosen to provide extra service to its Russian customers on this growing platform. It makes KLM one of the first companies in Russia to use social media as part of its customer service.

KLM now provides service on Facebook and Twitter in nine languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, and now Russian and Norwegian as well. To provide even better service to more customers, KLM will continue to expand the number of languages.

The service on Facebook and Twitter is available in seven languages, in English, Dutch, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese and now also in Italian. KLM plans to expand social media service with more languages in the coming months.

The twelve photos awarded the most votes will soon be decorating the twelve months in the KLM Fan Calendar.

The KLM Fan Calendar will be available for sale at the KLM webshop

Planning a trip with friends can be quite a challenge, but KLM Trip Planner makes this fun and easy. The delegated trip organiser selects a groups of travellers among their Facebook friends. After choosing a destination, various travel dates and available ticket prices, the organiser asks the selected friends to indicate which of the options has their preference. The booking can subsequently be made very simply in a secure section of klm.com, without having to email, text or phone an agent.

The KLM Trip Planner can also help customers find a suitable destination. Based on the group’s members and their interests, KLM offers three suggestions that vary depending on the main purpose of the trip, whether it be shopping, attending a football match or some other activity.

Meet & Seat facilitates contact with fellow travellers who have the same background or interests, making air travel even more stimulating for KLM passengers. They can find out whether someone they know will be travelling on the same flight, or discover who else will be attending the same conference in the USA, for example. Through Meet & Seat they might arrange to have a coffee before their flight, select adjoining seats or decide to share a taxi afterwards.

Passengers can only see other Meet & Seat participants after linking their Facebook or LinkedIn profile to their flight. They can decide what personal information from their Facebook or LinkedIn account they would like to share with other passengers.

Meet & Seat is available using Manage My Booking on intercontinental flights only. Passengers can choose their seat via Manage My Booking from 90 days until 48 hours before departure, and therefore easily make contact with fellow travellers.

KLM Meet & Seat starts with a pilot project on flights from Amsterdam to San Francisco, New York and São Paulo. Shortly afterwards, it will roll out to other intercontinental destinations.

“Today’s campaign should show, in a special — and, more important, personal way — that we’re willing to go the extra mile for our customers,” says Martijn van der Zee, SVP E-commerce AF KLM. “KLM has been extremely active in social media since the spring of 2010. We can’t imagine communication with our customers without social media anymore.”

KLM believes it is important to let everyone know about the service that KLM offers in social media — hence this announcement. Using the social media, KLM will answer every customer message personally within one hour, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

'Followers’ and ‘friends’ can reach KLM through the social media, whether in Dutch or English, and ask anything that has to do with their travel or tickets. And KLM will inform its followers about the latest KLM news and any interesting campaigns.

Followers can approach KLM – in English or Dutch – via any of these channels, with questions on topics such as baggage, seat reservations and re-booking of ticket. They will receive a reply within an hour, and any problems will be resolved within 24 hours. Until recently, this service was available from 08.00 hrs until 23.00 hrs CET, but as of today customers can contact KLM 24 hours a day, from anywhere in the world, via the above channels.

KLM also uses the above social media to update customers on the latest KLM news, special offers and other fun campaigns.