To Swissport and every passenger: our condolences — and look after the customers

Airport data breaches, ground staff under pressure, and passengers in the middle. Look after the customers first.

This week has been rough for the people who move the world through airports. Three British airports were hit by hackers, with around 8.7 million customer records exposed. Ground staff at check-in have spoken out about being pushed to hit charging targets rather than simply helping people. And once again, it is the workers and the passengers who carry the cost.

Data breaches are not "technical incidents" that happen to companies. They happen to people — to the passengers whose names, details and trust were taken. Every customer who flies deserves to know their data is safe and their journey is looked after. That is the bare minimum, and right now it is not being met.

The Caledonian Clarion sends its condolences to Swissport — to every member of staff working under pressure, and to every passenger caught in the mess. And we say plainly what must happen next: look after the passengers and the customers first. Investigate. Inform. Compensate. And never let the people at the bottom carry what the people at the top allowed.

"I worked at Swissport myself, for a time. I know the people on those check-in desks are not the problem — they are the ones holding it together. So my condolences go to every one of them, and my hope is simple: that every passenger and every customer is looked after." — Darren. Always. Forever. ∞