KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has partnered with WhatsApp in an effort to give better and enhanced services to its customers.

KLM, which holds a 26.7 per cent stake in the national flag carrier Kenya Airways KQ - 4.60 - 1.10%, becomes the first airline with a verified WhatsApp business account

The move will see the airline offer its customers booking confirmation, check-in notification, boarding pass, flight status updates via the official WhatsApp business account.

Though Whatsapp, travellers, will be able to access information at a single point while heading to the airport or home.

The airline has assured its customers that it has put all measures to prevent any hacking, saying the messages are secure and can only be read by the travellers and KLM.

This service is, however, exclusively available to customers who book tickets or check in via KLM website and opt to receive information via their WhatsApp.

"KLM is the world’s first airline with a verified WhatsApp account. This unique partnership with WhatsApp underlines our position as an aviation pioneer that aims at connecting our customers in a fast and personal way,” said KLM’s President and chief executive officer Pieter Elbers in a statement.

"With an account verified by WhatsApp, we offer our customers worldwide a reliable way to receive their flight information and ask questions in nine different languages round the clock.”

The airline communicates to its customers in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

The airline latest step in its social media strategy comes at a time when WhatsApp users has surpassed 1 billion mark and growing.

KLM was the world’s first airline to offer customers the option of receiving flight documents and status updates via social media platforms such as messenger, twitter and WeChat.

Agencies