2024-03-24 22:37:49
Federal authorities in the US announced this week that they are launching an investigation into how airlines ensure the security of passengers’ personal data. One of their goals is to find out if the airlines do not sell this data to other organizations, BTA reported, citing the Associated Press.
The US Department of Transportation said its review “will focus” on the 10 largest US airlines.
How they collect, store and use their customer information will be explored.
“Airline customers need to be confident that their personal information is not being improperly shared with other organizations or that employees are not abusing it,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The US Department of Transportation said it had sent letters to United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines. Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Allegiant.
Airlines are required to explain what procedures they have in place when collecting and using information about passengers who fly with them. They should emphasize the practices of “profiting from the personal data of passengers and targeted (aimed at certain groups of users – note ed.) advertising messages”.
Air carriers must also specify how they prevent “data leakage from their information systems”. They must also indicate whether they have received complaints from their employees or subcontractors about cases of improper use of personal information.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was “neither making accusations against any airline nor referring to specific events that may have given rise to its actions.”
A spokesman for the agency said it was a “proactive” measure aimed at helping it determine what is needed to protect the personal data of those who use airline services.
For its part, the branch organization of the aviation sector in the country “Airlines for America” announced that “airlines in the USA take the protection of the personal data of their customers very seriously”.
“For this reason, airlines have adopted clear rules and implemented secure practices to protect the personal data of their customers. These also include (the presence of a digital – ed.) infrastructure for cyber security,” said a spokeswoman for Airlines for America.