Seeking the intervention of the Civil Aviation Minister and the DGCA on the data breach on Air India, IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) has demanded remedial measures to regularise the issues in retaining the trust of the travelling public and travel agents.

According to the association, Air India has kept its passengers and trade partners in the dark by the advertent delay in informing about the massive data breach. Cyber-attack is not a new incident, but an attack on India’s national carrier – Air India, is alarming and awful.

Even though, the airline claimed that no misuse was reported yet, what precautionary steps they have taken to save the vulnerable passengers who depended on the national carrier are not answered to date. Air India initially announced the severe matter of massive data breach on its website on March 19, which a customer may use for online booking.

However, the company officially disclosed the data breach only after two months, even though the IT provider informed the airline about the matter on February 25. Hence, suppressing vital information from the travelling public and industry partners, particularly the travel agents fraternity, is totally against good business practice and appears ambiguous, IAAI said in a statement.

The cyber-attack which hit the airline has compromised the personal data of 45 lakh passengers. While the Covid-19 pandemic has created considerable uncertainty, anxiety, and a drastic change in peoples’ way of life, cyber-attacks are targeting vulnerable people and systems.

IT and cyber technology experts fear that even personal details of people working in sensitive establishments under government organizations might have leaked following this data breach, IAAI said.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW