The Federal government announced on Thursday that they will be examining how airlines secure personal information of their passengers and whether they are profiting by sharing it with other individuals or organizations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that they will be examining the top 10 U.S. airlines and assessing how they gather, manage, and utilize customer information.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that it is essential for airline travelers to trust that their personal information is not being improperly disclosed to outside parties or mismanaged by employees.

According to a representative from Airlines for America, airlines in the United States prioritize the safeguarding of customers’ personal information. This is evident through their strong policies, programs, and cybersecurity infrastructure dedicated to protecting the privacy of consumers.

In its statement, the Transportation Department did not accuse any specific airlines or mention any specific incidents that may have influenced the decision. Instead, a representative stated that the review is being undertaken as a precautionary measure to assist in developing measures to safeguard passengers’ information.

The department has informed Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, and Allegiant airlines that they have sent letters regarding their protocols for gathering and utilizing passenger information. These protocols include the use of passenger data for monetary purposes, targeted ads, and preventing data leaks.

The agency inquired of airlines whether they have received reports of staff or hired workers mishandling personal data.

Southwest stated in its privacy policy that it reveals certain customer data with chosen partners and third parties, but also allows customers to choose to not share this information.

The airlines Delta, United, American, and Alaska directed those asking questions to the official statement from Airlines for America. Allegiant, which does not belong to the trade group, stated that safeguarding customer data is a top priority and welcomes the review by the government.

Source: wral.com