Federal officials want to know how airlines handle — and share — passengers’ personal information

WASHINGTON – Federal officials mentioned Thursday they are going to assessment how airlines shield personal information about their passengers and whether or not they’re earning profits by sharing that information with different events.

The U.S. Department of Transportation mentioned its assessment will deal with the ten largest U.S. airlines and cowl their assortment, dealing with and use of information about clients.

“Airline passengers should have confidence that their personal information is not being shared improperly with third parties or mishandled by employees,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned.

A spokeswoman for the commerce group Airlines for America mentioned, “U.S. airlines take customers’ personal information security very seriously, which is why they have robust policies, programs and cybersecurity infrastructure to protect consumers’ privacy.”

In saying the assessment, the Transportation Department didn’t make allegations in opposition to any of the carriers or cite any occasions which may have prompted the transfer. A spokesman mentioned it’s being carried out “proactively” to assist the division decide how to shield passengers’ information.

The division mentioned it despatched letters to every of the airlines — Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian and Allegiant — about their procedures for gathering and utilizing passenger information, together with “monetization of passenger data, targeted advertising, and prevention of data breaches.”

The company additionally requested airlines if they’ve acquired complaints about staff or contractors mishandling personal information.

Delta, United, American, Southwest and Alaska referred questioners to the Airlines for America assertion. Allegiant, which isn’t a part of the commerce group, mentioned defending buyer knowledge is a precedence, and it welcomes the federal government assessment.