PRESS RELEASE — NEW YORK — KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will become the world’s first airline to offer an inspirational service via the Amazon Alexa smart speaker. In conversation with the KLM bot, users will be advised on suitable destinations, using a combination of images and spoken text. Users will also immediately be informed of the ticket price.
Starting this month, all Alexa users will be able to go in search of the KLM destination best suited to their wishes. KLM’s Travel Guide offers inspiration as well as personal advice in terms of flight duration, budget, travel dates, and specifications, such as a “city trip” or “beach holiday”. Based on this information, KLM suggests the destination that best fulfills the passenger’s wishes, along with the ticket price and a short description. This KLM service will be available on all speakers running the Alexa operating system, with or without a screen.
The Dutch pioneering spirit that is so characteristic of KLM is reflected in our use of innovative technology, such as voice-activated systems. The technology itself is not of prime importance, but rather the extent to which it makes life easier for our passengers before, during and after their flight. By experimenting with the possibilities, KLM aims to remain an innovative leader offering the very best passenger experience.
KLM previously launched a travel guide on Google Home, which helps people find a suitable holiday destination. The guide includes a departure planner that lets users know when it is time to head to the airport. Customers can use Google Home to find and book flights, but also to get customized advice on what they should pack, based on their KLM destination, the duration of their trip and local weather forecasts.
KLM ON SOCIAL MEDIA
KLM has been a pioneer in social media services and campaigns since 2009. We have more than 28 million friends and followers on a variety of social media. Through these channels, KLM receives more than 180,000 messages a week, 35,000 of which are questions or comments. The world’s largest social media team, consisting of 360 service staff, responds to the messages personally. KLM offers customers support 24/7 on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, and KakaoTalk in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer its customer’s flight documents and status updates via WhatsApp, Messenger, and Twitter. What’s more, it was the first western airline to use the Chinese social media channel WeChat.
About KLM
For 100 years, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry and is the oldest airline to still be operating under its original name. KLM aims to be the most customer-focused, innovative and efficient airline in Europe, offering reliable service and top-quality products.
KLM carried a record 34.1 million passengers in 2018, offering its passengers direct flights to 162 destinations with a modern fleet of more than 214 aircraft. The airline employs a workforce of more 33,000 people worldwide. The KLM network connects the Netherlands with all of the world’s key economic regions and is a powerful engine driving the Netherlands’ economy. KLM will be the first airline in the world to celebrate its one-hundredth anniversary.
For more information about KLM, please visit KLM.com, KLM Newsroom, Facebook, Twitter, and the KLM Blog.
