Ever wonder if the bespeckled professional in row 12 is a tech tycoon or if the suit in First Class could be your next business partner? Virgin America has introduced a new in-flight social networking tool that allows passengers to suss out just who they’re flying with through LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter connections. The application called Here On Biz can be downloaded for free from the Apple App store and used through the airline’s fleet-wide Gogo In-Flight WiFi network from the end of February. Says Luanne Calvert, Virgin America’s chief marketing officer, “The best business connections often happen unexpectedly, and we’ve heard many stories of partnerships and start-up ideas being born on our flights.” The technology was born following a survey of Virgin America frequent flyers in its New York, San Francisco, and Dallas markets who said the ability the network with other passengers would be a bonus while traveling with the airline. For those who prefer to protect their anonymity and privacy on their next red-eye, simply opt not to download the application for notification-free flying.
For more information, visit Virgin America.