THE SECRETARY OFTRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590
.Iune19,20l3

The Honorable Barbara Boxer United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Boxer: 

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Thank you foryour letter regarding Resolution 787 proposed bythe International AirTransport Association (lATA). You expressed concern that the Resolution might enable airlines to erode passenger privacy orreduce transparency intickcl pricing. You urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to condition anypotential approval ofResolution 787 on the adoption ofmIes to safeguard privacy and to ensure that consumers will continue to be able [0 shop for and compare airline ticket prices anonymously. As this matter is currently pending before theDepartment, Iam sure you understand that Icannot comment onthe merits ofIATA's application. Ican assure you, however, that we will give full andcareful consideration to the application and to all ofthe pleadings filed on the record before wereach adetennination in this matter. As isour standard practice, Iam placing acopy ofyour letter and my response inDocket DOT-OST-2013-0048, as acontact outside therecord ofthis case. You may track the progress ofthis case and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessing tlle Federal Docket Management System atwww.regulations.gov and searching for Docket DOT-OST-2013-0048. I appreciate your interest in this matt.Bt\IlBARA BOXER

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SUITE 112 WASt Ut\'GTON.DC 2orlln~n~.os {202J224-35;;:1 hUj)'/,1."""("f,!I('naIP.!-/'",' May L 2013 The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington. DC 20590-9898 Dear Secretary LaHood: (,"(),\lMrm.!:!' (.()~~lI:H('L

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Iunderstand you are considering Rcsolution 787, aproposal by thelnternationai Air Transport Association (lATA) 10update the Global Dislribution Systcm used 10managc airline rcservations. Iwrite to you today to ask you to ensure that thesc changes do not erode passenger privacy orreduce transparency in ticket pricing. Rcsolution 787 would cnablc airlines, travel agents, and websites like EXJledia, Orbitz, and Traveloeity to collect highly personal information from users, such as names, addresses, ages, and travel and shopping histories. This information would be shared with dozens

- or even hundreds

- of differenl airlines. which could then set prices for indiv.idual customers based on the information they provide. In light ofrecent large-scale data breaches and privacy violations, consumers are growing increasingly wary of websites that collect vast quantities ofpersonal inlormation unrelated to their transactions
. .Individuals should not be required to disclosc personal information simply to search for the price of a flight, and their private details should not be given to third parties without clear. conspicuous notice and express consent. For these reasons, Iurge you to condition approval of Resolution 787 on the adoption of rules (0 safeguard privacy and to cnsure that consumers will continue to be able to shop lor and compare airline ticket prices anonymously. Inparlieulul', Irecommend that DOT require relevant travel websitcs to comply with standards comparable to the Federal Trade Commission's March 2012 privacy guidelines. This could includejust-in-time disclosures oftheir privacy prac\ices and obtaining affirmative express consent before allowing third parties to access their users' personal information. Thank you for your attention to this matter.



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