“Ensuring Passenger Privacy: Department of Transportation Launches Review of Airline Data Practices”
The Department of Transportation has initiated a comprehensive examination of the data collection and privacy protocols employed by the nation’s ten largest airlines. With a focus on safeguarding passenger data from unethical exploitation by third parties, the agency aims to ensure robust protection measures are in place.
Department of Transportation
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of passenger confidence in the handling of personal information, stating, “Airline passengers should have confidence that their personal information is not being shared improperly with third parties or mishandled by employees.” This initiative marks the inception of a proactive approach by the Department of Transportation to uphold responsible stewardship of sensitive passenger data.
Airlines routinely gather extensive biographical data during ticket bookings, encompassing details such as names, birthdates, addresses, and gender. Additionally, carriers are increasingly collecting supplementary information including meal preferences, seating choices, and inflight entertainment preferences.
Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a collaborator with the Department of Transportation in shaping the review, highlighted the necessity of robust privacy regulation, independent of consumer complaints, to identify and address corporate misconduct. He affirmed, “I will continue to work with DOT to ensure that it is holding the airlines responsible for harmful or negligent privacy practices.”
The review, conducted by the Department of Transportation, encompasses three key areas:
Examination of policies and procedures governing the collection, maintenance, handling, and utilization of personal information by airlines, with a focus on the monetization of passenger data, targeted advertising, and prevention of data breaches.
Investigation of complaints alleging mishandling of personal information by airline employees or contractors, or violations of individual privacy rights.
Assessment of privacy training protocols, including training materials, recipient demographics, and frequency of training sessions.
The DOT has solicited responses from the following airlines:
Allegiant
Alaska
American
Delta
Frontier
Hawaiian
JetBlue
Southwest
Spirit
United
While the review primarily aims at understanding the current practices surrounding passenger data utilization, the long-term objective is to establish best practices and comprehensive regulations governing its handling.
“As DOT finds evidence of problematic practices, the Department will take action, which could mean investigations, enforcement actions, guidance, or rulemaking,” stated the department.
