Imagine booking a flight and no matter how hard you try are unable to avoid a tortuous 6+ hour layover to your final destination. What does one do in this situation? I asked my fellow coworkers how they would tackle this dilemma. Most answered quickly saying they’d whip out their tablets and begin binge watching their latest tv obsession. The braver ones said they would grab an uber and request to be taken to a nearby tourist spot.

Well, KLM Airlines offered an alternative to these options – meet with a local.  In their campaign called Layover Local they have released an app for those that have layovers in Amsterdam of more than 6 hours the opportunity to connect with locals to show them around.   AdWeek covered the cleverness and challenges of the Layover Local Campaign in a recent article.

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What I found interesting about their responses is they took away the people aspect of traveling. You travel to faraway lands not just to take in the scenery (unless you’re trying to get away from people) but to learn and experience new cultures/lifestyles from locals.

Curious as to what their reasons could be for not jumping at the opportunity to meet locals, I asked and got some…interesting answers. The most popular reason I got was that the idea of meeting a stranger in a foreign country terrifies them. After taking a quick poll on who uses or has used a dating app/online dating, everyone quickly realized that they have near expert experience in searching for strangers.

As millennials we’ve grown used to reaching out to friends on social media and even one of the most common advice most travelers and even myself promote is using social media to connect with locals and get their tried and true take on what to see/do/ eat in the area.

KLM is tapping into our growing millennial needs of connecting with strangers using our mobile devices to connect a layover tourist with a local in Amsterdam called “Layover with a Local”. KLM recently introduced a pilot program (Get it? PILOT #Badum-tsh) that will run from March 2016 until May 2016 for those with layovers over 6 hours in Amsterdam.

To take part in their campaign, simply sign up for the program through their free mobile app, and much like modern meetups, they’ll link you up with a local based on your preferences. Only speak English? No problem. Looking to finally see if you can actually speak in Dutch after spending hours on end learning it? Ze kregen u, boo.

The idea is to connect tourists with a local to discover their beautiful city and even enjoy a pint –  the first one is on the house if you’re over 18! Or, if you’re not into drinking, your local tour guide will happily show you around town.

Throughout your time, KLM’s app will send push notifications to your phone to let you know when it’s time to head back to the train to catch your flight.

Are you looking to fly somewhere in the near future? Ensure Amsterdam is your selected layover city! One of my favorite cities in Europe!

Is this something you would do? Share your thoughts!

Photo Credit:  KLM Airlines