In preparation for my trip to Taiwan during this year's Chinese New Year holiday, I purchased a ticket through Ctrip.com, a major Chinese online travel agency that I often use, for a flight on China Eastern Airlines on Jan. 26, two days before the start of the festivities.
I bought the ticket several months in advance, and as the date of departure drew near, I received a text message on my smartphone. It said, "Would you like to chat with your fellow passengers traveling together to Taiwan on the same flight?"
