Flying Solo? App Lets You Chat With Perfect Strangers on Flights Travel app Quicket is hoping its new social check-in feature will help passengers spark a bit more in-depth conversation than a simple 'hello' and 'what are you reading?'
By Nina Zipkin
For the extroverted among us, the adage "a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet" rings true. And if that's the case, perhaps there is no better way to make friends than being stuck on an airplane with them.
The three-year-old, Munich-based, mobile travel services app Quicket, formerly named "Jets," lets users buy tickets, track flights, check-in at the airport and peruse cabin maps to get you that coveted window seat. Now, the app wants you to get to know your fellow passengers a little better.
Related: Delta and LinkedIn Team Up For In-Flight Networking Project
With its most recent iOS and Android update this week, the app now has a social check-in function, allowing passengers to use Facebook to see who else is on their flight, provided they have downloaded app and have a profile that is public. Not only could it help friends or co-workers coordinate seating arrangements but for more loquacious travelers, it could be a way to network, make friends or even get a date, all while in flight.
When airlines like Delta, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have gotten in on the networking game, with pitch meetings and mentor one-on-ones at 30,000 feet, maybe Quicket is on to something.
We want to hear from you – would you use an app to strike up a conversation with your seatmate? Or do the headphones and sleep mask come on the moment you sit down? Let us know in the comments.
Related: The One Trick Brands Use to Engage With Business Travelers
