British Airways has been fined 183.4 million pounds ($230 million, €205 million) by the United Kingdom's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) after computer hackers stole customer data last year, according to its parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG).
IAG said in a statement on Monday that the ICO intended to issue the penalty, which equated to 1.5% of its worldwide turnover for 2017, under the UK Data Protection Act.
The ICO said the penalty was the biggest it had ever handed out and the fine was the first to be made public under new rules.
British Airways revealed in September 2018 that computer hackers had carried out a "sophisticated, malicious criminal attack" on the airline's website and app, and obtained the credit card details of some 380,000 customers.
The airline promised to "fully reimburse" affected customers and took out full-page advertisements in British newspapers to apologize for the cyberattack.
IAG's other four airlines — Aer Lingus, Iberia, Level and Vueling — were not affected by the hack.
'Surprised and disappointed'
Willie Walsh, IAG's chief executive, said on Monday that British Airways would be making representations to the ICO in relation to the proposed fine.
"We intend to take all appropriate steps to defend the airline's position vigorously, including making any necessary appeals," Walsh said.
Alex Cruz, the chairman and CEO of British Airways, said he was "surprised and disappointed in this initial finding from the ICO."
"British Airways responded quickly to a criminal act to steal customers' data. We found no evidence of fraud/fraudulent activities on accounts linked to the theft."
Hacking airlines
Airlines have become frequent targets for cyberattacks in recent years, due to their hyperconnected service models, which allow passengers to easily book and pay for flights.
Passengers also have to include passport data and credit card information when booking a flight online.
There were about 1,000 cyberattacks per month reported by airlines in 2016, according to figures released by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Qantas
The plane tails of Australia's national airline Qantas are embellished with a stylized kangaroo, hence the nickname "the Flying Kangaroo!" Even from a far distance, it's easy to tell which continent the plane comes from. After all, kangaroos only exist in Australia. This animal has become a sort of national logo, appearing not only on planes but also on Australia's coat of arms and currency.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
In contrast to its Australian counterpart, the logo of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is more factual. The abstract symbol of a crown in combination with the three letters KLM leaves no doubt as to which country this plane comes from. And that's what logos are all about.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Gambia Bird
The tiny West African state is a paradise for birds and their friends. More than 500 different kinds of birds live in the Gambia. Tourists don't even need to take birdwatching trips because many birds can be spotted in hotel gardens — they're just everywhere! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Gambian national airline went for a bird as its logo when it was founded in 2012. Service ceased in 2014.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Alaska Airlines
The Seattle-based airline has proved its creativity on several occasions during its 90-year-long history. The company was among the first airlines to sell tickets online and to offer online and automatic check-ins. Like its name, the logo of the airline refers to Alaska and its indigenous inhabitants, the Inuit.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Iran Air
A trade embargo and political tensions between 1980 and 2016 made it hard for Iran's state airline with headquarters at Tehran's Mehrabad airport to modernize its planes. But maybe the "homa," the mythological bird used in the logo, came to the rescue of the airline. According to Persian mythology, "homa" is believed to bring luck and joy while living its life entirely in the sky.
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Air Tanzania
Over the years Tanzania's national airline has also had to face numerous challenges. Sometimes its fleet was in the air, sometimes not, and the airline's owners also frequently changed. It's certainly not the fault of the giraffe logo. The world's tallest animal looks so friendly and inviting on the plane;what passenger could say no to stepping onboard for a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro?
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Airline logos: colorful, stark and striking
Takeoff into the future
A crane has served as the logo of Germany's largest airline since 1918. Some types of cranes cover enormous distances when they migrate, but others are considered pests due to their enormous appetites. Lufhansa is now flying into the future with a new logo design. The symbol will be the same, but the colors will change. Goodbye yellow and gray, hello simple white and blue!
Author: Conny Paul (ad)
dv/rc (AFP, Reuters)
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