EC imposes data protection on airlines
Wednesday, May 06, 2009 A European code of conduct introduced last month to protect agency-generated traveller information will apply to airlines, the European Commission has ruled.
Travel agents and global distribution companies feared Iata would ignore the legislation, as it neither confirmed nor denied if it intended to adhere to Article 7.3 of the law. But the EC, in answer to a question posed by Labour MEP Brian Simpson, said it was “very clear” on the protection of business data. “Any marketing, booking and sales data resulting from the use of the distribution facilities of a CRS by a travel agent…shall include no identification either directly or indirectly of that travel agent,” it said. “The commission can confirm…that airlines are covered by article 7.3 of the legislation relating to the disclosure of travel agent identity.” The CRS Code of Conduct gave agents a veto on whether passenger data – known as marketing information data tape – caught on the GDS could be sold to third parties. Sabre, Travelport and Amadeus must obtain permission from each of their travel agency customers to be able to sell on passenger data. All three claim they have reached agreements with the majority. There were concerns that Iata could still sell sensitive information collated by its Passenger Information Services (PaxIS) product. The organisation repeatedly claimed it fulfilled all legal obligations, but said it regarded privacy as a concept which applied to individuals and not commercial entities. |
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