WhatsApp and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have started a unique test for a new service on WhatsApp.

KLM now offers her customers around the world booking confirmation, check-in notification, boarding pass, flight status updates and asking questions in ten different languages on WhatsApp via the official WhatsApp Business application.

The carrier becomes one of the first companies and the very first airline worldwide with a verified WhatsApp business account.

Together with a small number of businesses, WhatsApp is testing ways for businesses to communicate with customers using WhatsApp.

WhatsApp wants to create value for both customers and the businesses they connect with in their daily lives.This pilot programme is part of that effort.

To this end, WhatsApp has created an enterprise solution that makes it possible for businesses like KLM to connect with their customers in a fast and personal way on WhatsApp.

The rollout has already started in a limited number of countries, and the service will become more widely available in the coming days and weeks.

“I am very proud that KLM is the world’s first airline with a verified WhatsApp account. This unique partnership with WhatsApp underlines our position as an aviation pioneer. We want to be where our customers are and, given the one billion users, you have to be on WhatsApp. With an account verified by WhatsApp, we offer our customers worldwide a reliable way to receive their flight information and ask questions 24/7. This truly is a major next step in our social media strategy,” Pieter Elbers, KLM’s president said.

Messages are secure so that they can only be read by the customer and KLM, and no one else, not even WhatsApp. Customers can easily recognise verified businesses using the official WhatsApp business application. This means that customers will see a green checkmark badge next to the KLM contact name on WhatsApp.