It lets consumers choose where you want to sit and even gives you information including comments on the exact seating / plane type :
•Detailed seat map graphics
•In-depth comments about seats with limited recline, reduced legroom, and misaligned windows
•Color-coding to help identify superior and substandard seats
•In-seat power port locations
•Galley, lavatory, exit row, and closet locations
Well what if you could take it to the next level? Choose who you actually want to sit next to or at least be seated by someone with a similar interest set? Would your trip not be more enjoyable? We all have horror stories about that one person on that one flight we sat next to and how horrible it made our trip. On the other hand we also have those great trips where we are seated by someone we get along with great and because of that our trip goes that much better.
Here is the idea.
The majority of consumers have Social Networking accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn etc.) The sites have profile information, significant knowledge about us including algorithms and facial/photo recognition technology integrated to let them know: what we like, how we react to advertisements, the next sites we visit….
If the airlines industries opened up their ticketing services to include a feature for consumers to integrate their social networking profile to search for other passengers with complimentary profiles you would have a winner - not to mention a premium service consumers would pay for. It’s a pretty simple and novel idea which would offer a more relaxed and a more comfortable environment for seating.
Theatre, event hosting and other transportation companies who deal with seating could profit off such an implementation as well. Integrating an existing network into a seating system could provide consumers with options of not only seat location but partner seating options. Would your trip be more enjoyable sitting by someone in your network? First, second or even third degree? Would your trip by more enjoyable sitting by someone who shares the same interest as you? Matching very skinny people next to a larger person as opposed to two large people next to each other, a Mormon next to a Mormon, a lawyer next to a mute: Consumers would pay a premium for such a service as people pay for comfort.
That 11 hour flight to Tokyo from LAX might but a bit more enjoyable seated next to someone you can actually talk to or someone that might leave you alone based on your profile preference. The airlines do not need to reinvent the wheel here just use what has already been done. I don’t see Google or Facebook getting into the airline business but who knows...
The applications of integration of Social Networking are endless. The integration into other sites/models makes life easier/safer for consumers. Some other applications could be seen even in online dating sites where consumers face problems when networks (especially first degree connections) are matched – this creates awkward situations. Integrating an existing network into the online dating platform would provide privacy from chosen degrees of networks. This adds extreme value not only to the reputation of the site but the users experience and trust in the site.
The real question is can we limit visibility on search engines of personal information? In ten years when I type a friends name on Google search will the same results be displayed for my network then people completely outside my network I have no connection to? Can technology be integrated to limit searches to only chosen networks and not just IP addresses?
http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/05/social-networking-future/
