A woman has been left 'terrified' after airline staff accessed customer data in order to find her phone number. Hannah, 23, had been travelling on an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester Airport when she received a WhatsApp number that she didn't recognise.
The newly qualified paramedic from Manchester messaged the number back asking where they had gotten her number from. Replying, the person apologised before admitting that he had accessed her phone number from the company's database after seeing her passport while boarding the plane.
Taking to Twitter Hannah detailed the terrifying moment, writing: "A guy who works for the Etihad airline used my personal data which he found via the airline database after seeing my passport to get my phone number and proceeded to text me.
"Terrifying experience travelling alone."
Hannah also attached screenshots of the conversation. It reads.
Staff: Heyy, I seen you from Abu Dhabi.
Hannah: How did you get this number.
S: Sorryyy.
H: "How did you get my number?
S: I searched you in the system.
H: What System
S: I am working
H: Yes what system? The hotel or the airline?
The staff member admits that they accessed the airline's system to get her number before stating: "Sorry for the trouble. If I am disturbing you just block me.
"FYI your flight is boarding."
Enraged Hannah spoke to the airline's staff at Manchester airport upon landing who she said were shocked. Posting on social media she demand that the airline took action to stop other women from going through what she did.
In a reply, she wrote: "My main priority is that he doesn’t work with the airline again so no other girl has to go through this!! But I am in contact with a solicitor."
Before adding: "I definitely won’t be flying with Etihad again that’s for sure, from the details they take for the booking he has access to my full name, date of birth, home address and telephone number it really is very scary."
Social media users flocked to show support for the young travelers and criticise the actions of the staff member.
Punteha van Terheyden wrote: "This is so unbelievably creepy. Hope you’re not left feeling too rattled while you’re travelling and Etihad sort this scary misuse of your data asap."
Mike Smith added: "Hope you reported. I’m pretty sure that is breaking GDPR rules so he shouldn’t have done that. it doesn’t give you a lot of confidence in Etihad on making sure there protecting your details."
Mark added: "Glad you reported with vile behaviour & abuse of position. Keep us all updated if & when Etihad take action."
A spokesperson for Etihad told the Daily Record: "Our team have been in contact with the guest and Etihad initiated a full investigation as soon as it was made aware of inappropriate conduct by an employee of a third-party contractor.
"As a result of the investigation, the relevant employee involved has been disciplined in accordance with the contractor’s disciplinary procedures. The privacy and safety of our guests is our number one priority and we sincerely apologise for the distress caused to our guest.”
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