U.S. Department of Transportation Launches Industry-Wide Review of Airline Data Security and Privacy Policies

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced its first industry-wide review of data security and privacy policies across the largest U.S. airlines. This review will examine whether airlines are properly protecting customers’ personal information and if they are unfairly or deceptively monetizing or sharing that data with third parties.

The DOT will be sending letters to airline executives with questions about how they collect and handle passengers’ personal information, how they monetize customer data through targeted advertising, and how employees and contractors are trained to handle passenger information. Airlines included in this review are Allegiant, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that the goal of this review is to ensure airlines are being good stewards of sensitive passenger data. The DOT did not specify what prompted the review, but it is part of the U.S. government’s broader push to protect consumer privacy across the economy.

Recent actions by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, such as banning data brokers and companies from sharing sensitive location and browsing data, have also contributed to the DOT’s decision to conduct this review. The FTC is exploring rules to crack down on harms stemming from surveillance and lax data security.

The DOT’s privacy review will be carried out with the expertise and partnership of Sen. Ron Wyden, who has raised concerns about the sharing and sale of sensitive U.S. consumer data to data brokers. Wyden has warned about the potential misuse of personal data by data brokers and intelligence agencies purchasing commercially available information about Americans.

In a statement, Wyden emphasized the importance of effective privacy regulation that does not rely solely on consumer complaints to identify corporate abuses. This industry-wide review by the DOT marks a significant step towards ensuring the protection of passengers’ personal information and data privacy within the airline industry.