Qantas: Airline investigates after customers report seeing strangers’ data
Qantas, the Australian airline, is currently investigating a privacy breach within its app, which has resulted in customers gaining unauthorized access to others’ information.
According to local media, passengers have reported encountering multiple incorrect boarding passes and flight details upon using the app.
Acknowledging the issue, Qantas has stated that it is actively working to resolve the situation and has suggested that recent system modifications might be the cause.
While the airline has expressed regret over the incident, it has refrained from providing details regarding the extent of the breach.
In a statement, Qantas advised customers to remain vigilant against social media scams amidst this situation. One customer, Josh Withers, recounted an instance where another passenger’s personal information appeared when he accessed the app on Wednesday.
“It said: ‘Hi Sam’ and I instantly noticed [that] Sam had a lot more Qantas points than I did,” he said.
Mr Withers said that each time he re-opened the portal a new customer’s details would appear including their frequent flyer points and scheduled flights.
Other passengers told local media they appeared to have the ability to cancel another passenger’s upcoming flight to Europe.
Speaking to Nine News, technology journalist Trevor Long said that in the space of 15 minutes, he could “capture at least 8-12 different people’s details – including valid boarding passes”.
The airline has recommended that users log out and then log back into the app to try and fix the issue.
Social media has been flooded with criticisms of the carrier and posts from people claiming to be affected.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, shared screenshots of the glitch and alleged phishing attempts. Some appeared to show accounts posing as Qantas customer care agents asking for people’s personal information to assist them.
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