A cyber attack on Qantas' network has had a wider impact on the broader hotel sector than initially considered.
Qantas has confirmed a cyberattack on one of its contact centres, which has drastically impacted customer data. The system has now been contained.
It was reported that the breach was significant, potentially affecting the names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and frequent flyer numbers of six million Qantas customers.
The first sign of the cyber attack was discovered on Monday, when unusual activity was detected on a third-party platform used by the airline. Qantas said that immediate steps were taken to limit the potential harm, and that all Qantas systems remain secure.
The airline urged that credit card details, personal financial information and passport details were not held in the attacked system, and that no frequent flyer accounts were compromised, nor have passwords, PIN numbers, or login details been accessed.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the airline was in the process of contacting its customers, and its focus was on providing them with the necessary support.
“We sincerely apologise to our customers and we recognise the uncertainty this will cause. Our customers trust us with their personal information, and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Hudson.
“We are working closely with the Federal Government’s National Cyber Security Coordinator, the Australian Cyber Security Centre and independent specialised cyber security experts.”
The impact of the cyber attack has left many hotel groups campaigning for a strong aviation ombuds scheme to protect all travellers and hotel groups.
Bea Sherwood, Senior Campaigns and Policy Advisor at CHOICE, said this incident highlighted the clear and urgent need for a strong aviation ombuds scheme to support airline customers and facilitate complaints when issues like this occur.
“Despite ongoing issues with Qantas and other airlines since, customers still don’t have an effective means of directing or resolving their complaints,” said Sherwood.
“The Australian Financial Complaints Authority and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman consider financial and telco complaints, including about data breaches. There is currently no equivalent independent body for airline customers to raise concerns, a huge gap in our consumer protection system.”
She added that this was not the first time that Qantas customers have had issues with the airline, with CHOICE giving the company a Shonky Award in 2022 as a reflection for unusable flight credits, delayed flights and more.
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