KLM has become the first airline to partner with the popular
messaging service WhatsApp.
Customers of the Netherlands-based carrier can now get
booking confirmations, check-in notifications, boarding passes and flight
status updates via WhatsApp.
The partnership is part of a WhatsApp initiative to test
ways for customers and businesses to communicate through the app. KLM is one of
the first businesses in the world to establish a verified account on the
WhatsApp Business application, the companies said.
"This unique partnership with WhatsApp underlies our
position as an aviation pioneer," KLM CEO Pieter Elbers said. "We
want to be where our customers are, and given the 1 billion users, you have to
be on WhatsApp."
KLM customers also can directly contact the airlines' social
media customer service agents 24 hours per day via WhatsApp.
KLM was also the first airline in the world to provide
flight documents and status updates to customers via Facebook Messenger,
Twitter and WeChat, the company said.