Vendor gave records to four companies, not TSA
Washington, Apr 14: The Department of Homeland Security`s chief privacy officer has launched an investigation into a disclosure by American Airlines that it turned over 1.2 million passenger records to the Transportation Security Administration in June 2002 without the passengers` knowledge or permission.
American is the third airline to acknowledge that it turned over passenger information to the government. The airline said it acted out of a desire to help in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
DHS privacy chief Nuala O`Connor Kelly said her investigation will focus on whether TSA personnel violated federal privacy laws or policies. She said the DHS inspector general also is looking into the matter. An inspector general spokesman was not available to comment.
American Airlines announced Friday that one of its vendors turned over "some passenger travel data" -- itineraries, according to The Associated Press -- to four research companies vying for contracts with the TSA. The transfer of data was done "at the request of the Transportation Security Administration," the airline said.
"Our desire to assist TSA in the aftermath of the events of September 11 was consistent with our focus on safety and security," American spokesman John Hotard said. "No passengers were harmed by the transfer of the data".
Hotard said the discovery came "as American reviewed whether it had turned over such data to the TSA following the announcement of data releases by other carriers".
American authorized its vendor, Airline Automation Inc. (AAI), to turn over the passenger information to the TSA, but AAI instead gave the data to the four companies, the airline said. The firms are HNC Software, Infoglide Software, Ascent Technology and Lockheed Martin, the AP reported. AAI`s attorney acknowledged Saturday that the company gave out the information but said it did so "only after receiving the express authorization of American Airlines" and after receiving written instructions from the TSA.
Bureau Report
