America West Statement on Passenger Data
America West Airlines today
issued the following statement regarding the release of passenger data.
In press reports earlier today, it was reported that several airlines,
including America West, released passenger name records (PNRs) to the
government in association with the testing of a computerized
background-check project. In June 2002, in accordance with a written
Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement, America West provided a
private sector firm with PNR data for travel occurring between June 20,
2002 and July 5, 2002. The vendor was developing a passenger-screening
prototype for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The non-disclosure agreement limited the permissible uses of the data and
required that the data be stored in a secure facility; expressly provided
that the data would not be shared with the TSA or any other government
agency; and required the destruction or return of the data after the
project was completed.
America West’s current policy is to not provide PNR data to private
contractors or government agencies for use in aviation security research
projects.
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