KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is set to run a trial with Android smartwatch technology that will provide passengers with specific trip information. Besides supplying passengers with their boarding pass, the app assists with all relevant airport-related activities.
Tjalling Smit, senior vice president, e-commerce, Air France-KLM said, “The KLM smartwatch app allows passengers to find relevant and up-to-date flight information at a glance. In the future, we will further link technologies to offer innovative services ensuring that passengers are always a step ahead on their journey.”
Smartwatch owners who install the KLM app on their Android smartphone will be able to check their flight overview in KLM’s smartwatch app any time after making a booking. They will start receiving trip-related notifications 24 hours ahead of their departure.
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.