If you’re active on Twitter and you follow airline accounts, you have probably noticed there’s an active KLM account updated daily with some fresh info. @KLMfan is an account maintained by a fan of the Dutch company, started long before the company took interest in social media. We’ve had the chance to ask Tim a few questions about his passion with KLM Royal Airlines. Here’s what we came up with.

When and why did you start the @klmfan account?

I started the @klmfan account both out of interest in KLM as well as a social media experiment. It was first @KLM and grew rapidly. Since it was not an official KLM account I changed it into @klmfan to make sure people don’t mix it up with the thought that it could be an official account. It was really amazing to see how people shared their KLM experiences on Twitter. I started to follow those people and it was amazing how much tips, praises, complaints and flight lovers discussed their experiences REAL TIME. That’s anew one. I started the account in february 2009.

Has KLM ever contacted you in regard to the Twitter profile?

Yes, they contacted me and ever since then we have regular contact. They had some Twitter accounts back then, but none of them was really popular. Also they were not very interactive in their approach. Those twitter accounts were not really official as well. Since the rise of @klmfan they started to get more interest in Twitter and in social media in general I think. We had a few meetings and they guided me through the hangars in Schiphol. Also they asked me to live report on Twitter about the first partly biofuel flight with passengers. This was an amazing experience.

What was the nicest/weirdest KLM experience you came across?

The nicest KLM experience I had was the guided tour through the hangars of Schiphol Airport. The extreme beauty of these planes, the nice guide and the interesting stories about flying were just incredible. Also the livereport of the “biofuel flight” was amazing, because this was my first experience of realtime reporting about a subject that was hot news in the press. Also, when I was a little kid, my uncle (that works for KLM) took me to a flightsim and I was allowed to experience it for some time. Incredible. My weirdest experience was that @klmfan was picked up in quite some online press articles (also when it was still @klm). Also the subject of the disappearance of AF 447 caused a lot of buzz and interest in the KLM Twitter account.

How much time do you invest in your Twitter profile daily?

Depends, I have multiple Twitter accounts that I update daily. Next to @klmfan I have my personal account: @timvanwaard and an account for a globally known trancemusic site (my other big passion): @trancenu

What do you do when you’re not tweeting?

I work as a consultant for online communication, also do some content management and online projects. I also tend to make digital mixes of trancemusic and I spent time with my girlfriend.

How do you see KLM’s online presence right now?

The online channel is the most important channel for KLM right now is the internet. And by that I mean not only their website (which get’s regular criticism about not working properly), but also the other online (social media) channels. First off all you need a working website. Failure of systems is not tolerated anymore by customers. Second: they must expand their brand KLM globally online more. KLM is such a massive name with a great vibe around it. They started their Twitter account that’s gaining alot of new followers everyday, they started a Facebook page where you can make personalized luggage tags. That are some great initiatives, but it’s just a start. I see many opportunities for KLM to expand their social media activity and online presence. Still I sense a lot of fear for social media (like a lot of big companies) but they must try to turn it from a threat into an opportunity. The people I have contact with at KLM are doing some great stuff and I like their philosophy: if we do something, we do it good and we over think it.

What is your best/worst experience when flying?

I don’t like it when I have to take out my shoes before boarding as happened when I flew to Miami with British Airways. Also I wasn’t too fond of Iberia’s flight crew when I flew with them. My best experience must have been landing in Rovaniemi, Lapland. The whole airport and landing strip covered in snow. Pretty magical.

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