KLM has long been known for pushing the boundaries defining hospitality and the airline experience. From social seating to social media surprises to displaying social response times, when it comes to social, KLM is usually making moves that no one else is.
For this holiday season, KLM's latest is Wannagives - an online shopping portal to purchase gifts for passengers.
And yes, that means passengers in the air. What? Yes. It really is that mind-boggling to consider the mechanics of how this works. Of course, they also offer home-delivery, but in-air delivery is so much more sexy.
Here's how KLM is selling it:
Do you want to surprise a friend, colleague or loved one on board? Select a special gift and we’ll deliver it on behalf of you at an altitude of 30,000 feet. Naturally, KLM Wannagives also offers home delivery.
No time to say your goodbyes at the airport? Whether it’s time for a celebration or you have somebody to thank... As of today, KLM Wannagives offers your Facebook friends or LinkedIn contacts a perfect gift – for every occasion. Choose your surprise from 6 themes: Love, Celebrate, Holiday, Thanks, Kids or KLM goodies. Don’t forget to write a poem or express why your beloved or friend absolutely deserves a gift!
KLM is offering the service for any flight departing from Amsterdam to most European destinations.
The gift offerings range from the more traditional, like a box of chocolates and KLM-branded gear, to travel-related perks like extra legroom in Economy.
The ability to allow other people to upsell passengers into premium products is sheer genius, especially during the holiday season. Not only does it engage the gift-giver with KLM, but it makes the gift-receiver much more likely to have a magical, pleasant time on the flight. Setting up this emotional trajectory makes it easier for flight attendants to do their job, as passengers are primed for an enjoyable experience.
Being an inherently social brand, KLM also allows customers to simply share a "well wishes" note and a virtual kiss with someone heading off on KLM in the future.
Another clever integration was with LinkedIn - sometimes it's not just friends and family that need a little love, so KLM has shifted the thought process on gift-giving to also include those who may be squarely in the "colleague" category.
A boss, a co-worker who helped on a project, or simply a holiday surprise from a boss to a team of road warriors - the addition of LinkedIn into this calculus increases the platform's overall utility.
If you Wannagives something to a traveler this season, click over here.