Washington, D.C. – Today, Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a new plan to review the data privacy practices of the nation’s ten largest airlines, including whether airlines are violating the Childrens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), evaluating data security protocols, and identifying whether airlines are illegally monetizing or sharing consumer data with third parties. 

“Airlines handle sensitive data for millions of individuals on a regular basis, and the vast majority of travelers do not know that their information is bought, sold and used over and over again,” said Erin Witte, Director of Consumer Protection at Consumer Federation of America. “We are encouraged to see Secretary Buttigieg taking a major step toward protecting the privacy of air travel consumers.”