Ryanair accused of 'invasive' facial recognition by Austrian privacy campaigners
A prominent Austrian digital privacy campaign group on Thursday filed a complaint against Ryanair in Spain, alleging the popular budget carrier was pushing customers to undergo "invasive facial recognition process".
Austria's noyb said some customers of the Irish no-frills airline were required to go through "a mandatory 'verification process' involving invasive facial recognition" when booking through an online travel agent rather than directly on the company's website or app.
"There is no reasonable justification for Ryanair to implement this system. Instead, it seems like the airline is willingly violating their customer's right to data protection in order to obtain an unfair competitive advantage over alternative booking channels," the group said in a statement.
Ryanair did not immediately reply to an AFP request for comment.
Noyb said the complaint came from a customer from Spain who booked a Ryanair flight through the Barcelona-based online travel agency eDreams and then received an email from Ryanair requesting her to complete a "verification process".
READ ALSO: Why are flights to and from Austria so expensive this summer?
The case was filed with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD).
Noyb said Ryanair "didn't provide comprehensible information about the purpose of this intrusive process" which requires the client's consent under the EU's data protection regulation (GDPR).
On its website, Ryanair says customers' identity may need to be verified when a booking is made "by a third-party travel agent that has no commercial agreement with Ryanair to sell our flights".
Ryanair says the identity verification is necessary "so that we can ensure that you are aware of and have complied with all safety and security regulations".
It details two ways of doing the verification process online -- the "express" version uses facial recognition technology by Ryanair partner GetID and costs 59 cents -- and a third option of going directly to an airport check-in desk before the flight.
"We do not recommend this option as a fee applies to airport check-in," Ryanair warns.
Vienna-based noyb (None Of Your Business) is handling hundreds of complaints in various jurisdictions on behalf of internet users over data protection and rights concerns.
It has won several cases against some of the world's largest multinationals.
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Austria's noyb said some customers of the Irish no-frills airline were required to go through "a mandatory 'verification process' involving invasive facial recognition" when booking through an online travel agent rather than directly on the company's website or app.
"There is no reasonable justification for Ryanair to implement this system. Instead, it seems like the airline is willingly violating their customer's right to data protection in order to obtain an unfair competitive advantage over alternative booking channels," the group said in a statement.
Ryanair did not immediately reply to an AFP request for comment.
Noyb said the complaint came from a customer from Spain who booked a Ryanair flight through the Barcelona-based online travel agency eDreams and then received an email from Ryanair requesting her to complete a "verification process".
READ ALSO: Why are flights to and from Austria so expensive this summer?
The case was filed with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD).
Noyb said Ryanair "didn't provide comprehensible information about the purpose of this intrusive process" which requires the client's consent under the EU's data protection regulation (GDPR).
On its website, Ryanair says customers' identity may need to be verified when a booking is made "by a third-party travel agent that has no commercial agreement with Ryanair to sell our flights".
Ryanair says the identity verification is necessary "so that we can ensure that you are aware of and have complied with all safety and security regulations".
It details two ways of doing the verification process online -- the "express" version uses facial recognition technology by Ryanair partner GetID and costs 59 cents -- and a third option of going directly to an airport check-in desk before the flight.
"We do not recommend this option as a fee applies to airport check-in," Ryanair warns.
Vienna-based noyb (None Of Your Business) is handling hundreds of complaints in various jurisdictions on behalf of internet users over data protection and rights concerns.
It has won several cases against some of the world's largest multinationals.
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