Airlines Reporting Corp. says it's ending sales of ticket data to police, Feds
7 days ago
- #data protection
- #privacy
- #airline industry
- Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) is ending its Travel Intelligence Program (TIP), which provided law enforcement agencies with access to billions of airline ticket records.
- ARC, a financial clearinghouse for airlines and travel agencies, faced criticism from Congress and media scrutiny over privacy concerns.
- The decision to sunset TIP may stem from fears of regulatory backlash in countries with strict privacy laws, where airlines could face liability.
- Airlines have historically cooperated with law enforcement, often disregarding passenger privacy protections, even in jurisdictions with strong data protection laws.
- ARC's monopoly in payment processing is threatened by airlines establishing direct connections with travel agencies, making TIP's revenue less critical.
- Despite ending TIP, ARC still holds vast ticketing data and could be compelled to share it with authorities, raising ongoing privacy concerns.
- The scandal highlights broader issues of airline industry practices, including collaboration with law enforcement and inadequate privacy safeguards for passengers.