Cathay Pacific is not even trying to hide the fact that it is snooping on you. But is that concerning or just refreshingly honest?
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific just updated its privacy policy. While Cathay Pacific is “committed to protecting your Personal Data and your privacy,” it leaves opens many head-scratching exceptions that call into question just how ambitiously the airline is gathering data about you.
In relation to your travel, Cathay Pacific advises it will collect the following information:
Information about your travel arrangements such as your travel itinerary, hotel selection, your choice of tours, car rentals or other add-ons to your travel package, details of your travel companions or persons assisting you, your activity at airport departure and arrival halls, your redemption group members, seat and meal preferences, your emergency contacts and any information relating to any special assistance that you require such as dietary requirements or health issues.
(bolding mine)
How does Cathay Pacific track your activity in airport departure and arrival halls?
The airline also advises how it will track your uses of “products and services”:
Information such as previous travel arrangements, feedback about your experiences, details of lost luggage and other claims, your use of our inflight entertainment system and inflight connectivity, your images captured via CCTV in our airport lounges and aircraft, your use of our cargo services including details of the cargo shipments, and your purchase of our duty free products and branded items.
(bolding mine)
So is Cathay Pacific spying on your internet browsing and watching you through those little cameras in your seatback in-flight-entertainment screen?
Will Horton of Forbes put that question to Cathay Pacific and the airline declined to comment immediately, stating it needed two weeks to “research” the matter. Note the privacy policy also states Cathay will keep the information “for as long as is necessary.” Cathay did tell Horton that the updated language is “part of our ongoing commitment to transparency.”
CONCLUSION
I’m not saying the new privacy policy is necessarily nefarious…in one sense I do applaud Cathay Pacific for its transparency. But I’ve never seen an airline so boldly reserve the right to invade your privacy. Even if Cathay never acts upon its stated rights, it has reserved for itself a great power over your personal information. You’ve now been warned!
image: Cathay Pacific
China has implemented many CCTV-based image recognition technologies that make it easier for authorities to track individuals (and their activity). Interesting that a Chinese airline (although based in Hong Kong, which has some extra freedoms due to their former British status) is going the same route. Would be interesting to know how Cathy intends to use the CCTV data.
To be cross-matched and collated with subjects of the OPM data breach and other hacks…?
I have seen other bloggers write about the United pilots arrested in Scotland for being under the influence. I know you’re a huge United fan so I expected to see a write-up on this. Love to hear your take on the situation
Coming today. Already written.
My wife and I are flying Cathay first this Fall. I think a small piece of duct tape may accidentally cover the camera.
Disclaimer from the legal dept?
I have chosen Cathay Pacific four times since May 2017. Each time the experience has been different. I worked for American Airlines for 13.5 years. 6 of which was as an Inflight Service Director (FSD). Before that I did it all,baggage/freight, passenger check-in, ticketing, Instructor ground service, Management operations. Let me say, I’m experienced. Commercial aviation has changed, sorry for the worst. But above all Cathay Pacific is good, need to improve though. Smiles count,pleasantly should be number one. I’m only one of millions of ex-airline professionals. Keep up the good service, it’s appreciated.
I notice cctv cameral in jal 787 planes in the over head ( more than one camera)