Page 40 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCOTBER 2017 Online Magazine

NEWS
InduStry neWS And uPdAteS

KLM First Airline with Verified
WhatsApp Business Account
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has KLM has
become one of the first companies and
the very first airline worldwide with a
verified WhatsApp business account. The
airline is now offering customers around
the world booking confirmation, check-in
notifications, boarding pass, and flight
status updates in 10 different languages
on WhatsApp via the official WhatsApp
Business application. “I am very proud
that KLM is the world’s first airline with a
Malaysia Airlines Signs MOU for 737MAXs & 787s verified WhatsApp account. This unique
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (Malaysia operate to any point in Europe and some partnership with WhatsApp underlines our
Airlines) will acquire eight 787-9 USA destinations in the future from Kuala position as an aviation pioneer. We want to
Dreamliners by converting eight of an Lumpur,” said Peter Bellew, managing be where our customers are and, given the
existing order for 737 MAX jetliners, in director and chief executive officer of 1 billion users, you have to be on WhatsApp.
addition to adding more 737 MAX 8s. The Malaysia Airlines. “The MOU with Boeing With an account verified by WhatsApp, we
new orders once finalised will be posted on their Global Fleet Care program will offer our customers worldwide a reliable
to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website. allow the two companies to build a world way to receive their flight information and
The airline has also signed up for Boeing’s class MRO for the 737 MAX, 787 and 737NG ask questions 24/7. This truly is a major
Global Fleet Care service to maintain its based on Malaysia’s existing facilities in next step in our social media strategy,”
current and future Boeing airplanes. “New Kuala Lumpur,” he added. Malaysia Airlines said KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers.
widebody aircraft are a key to making presently operates a fleet of more than WhatsApp is testing ways for businesses
Malaysia Airlines a premium airline offering 50 Next-Generation 737s, in addition to to communicate with customers using
a five-star product again. The extraordinary having 25 additional 737 MAXs on order WhatsApp and has created an enterprise
range of the 787-9 gives an ability to (including 10 737 MAX 10s). solution that makes it possible for
businesses like KLM to connect with their
customers in a fast and personal way on
Cebu Pacific to Fly Out of Changi’s T4 WhatsApp. The rollout has already started
Cebu Pacific announced details of its first us a treasure trove of memories from our in a limited number of countries, and the
flights to Singapore’s new Terminal 4 (T4) previous home in T2, and look forward to re- service will become more widely available
at Changi Airport, as well as its last flights connecting with old friends – and making new in the coming days and weeks.
to its current base in Terminal 2. Come ones,” said Atty JR Mantaring, Vice President
November, Cebu Pacific will be the first for Corporate Affairs of Cebu Pacific. The
airline from the Philippines to operate from first flight from Manila is scheduled to land Subscribe to our
T4. “We are proud to be the first airline on T4 on 2 November 2017. The opening of eNewsletter
from the Philippines to operate from this T4 in late-October is highly-anticipated and
world-class passenger terminal, enabling will add a capacity of 16 million passengers Log on to:
everyone traveling with CEB through per annum to Changi Airport, bringing the www.gbp.com.sg/AAA
Singapore to experience a new level of airport’s total annual handling capacity to 82
comfort and efficiency. We will bring with million passenger movements.

40 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA