Philippine Airlines must address why its employees are ‘required’ to take photographs of passenger passports with their personal phones.
This is what airline passenger Caria Metis is demanding, taking to social media to address the Philippine flag carrier and raise concerns.
Can you explain why did you ask your employees to use their personal phone to take pic of passengers passport and send it to you through WhatsApp ? @flyPAL @CanBorder @BBCNewsAsia @BBCBreaking @CNN @ChannelNewsAsia @sgbroadcast pic.twitter.com/pH0roDrx94
— Caria (@Caria_Metis) October 2, 2022
Metis was en route to Toronto from Singapore (via Manila) when a Philippine Airlines employee allegedly informed her that he must take a photograph of her passport because it is a company “requirement” for passengers transiting via Manila to Toronto.
According to a thread written by Metis on Twitter on Twitter, the airline employee proceeded to show her previous passengers’ passport photographs taken on his mobile phone, which, she was told, was sent to a WhatsApp group to unknown recipients.
The incident has caught the attention of Ethics PH, a group that assesses the ethical use of data and technology in the Philippines. The group asked Philippine Airlines if its passengers sign a data privacy agreement that covers the practice of taking images of passport photos.
The airline replied to say that it has reached out to the passenger and that “this is already being looked into”.
Hi, Data Ethics PH. We have already reached out to the passenger and we assure you that this is already being looked into. Thank you.
— Philippine Airlines (@flyPAL) October 3, 2022
However, in a later tweet, Metis said that she has not received any communication from the airline.
