Northwest Airlines Statement On Media Reports Regarding NASA Aviation Security Research Study

ST. PAUL, MINN. – (January 18, 2004) – Various media outlets have reported on Northwest Airlines’ participation in a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aviation security research study. In response to these reports, Northwest Airlines released the following statement:

“In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, NASA had discussions with Northwest Airlines’ Security Department regarding a NASA research study to improve aviation security. In December 2001, NASA requested that Northwest’s Security Department provide it with passenger name record data from the period July, August, and September 2001 for NASA’s exclusive use in its research study. Northwest Airlines agreed to provide that data.

On September 23, 2003, after a speech to the St. Paul (Minn.) Rotary Club, Richard Anderson, Northwest Airlines chief executive officer, responded to a reporter’s question regarding JetBlue Airway’s release of passenger data to a private contractor. He said, “Northwest Airlines will not share customer information, as JetBlue Airways has.”

At the time Mr. Anderson answered this question, he had no knowledge of the Northwest Security Department’s provision of passenger data for the NASA research study.

On the previous day, a Northwest spokesperson was asked questions on the same topic.
When the spokesperson answered those questions, he also had no knowledge of the Security Department’s role in the NASA study.

On September 26 2003, Northwest Airlines CEO was advised of the Security Department’s provision of passenger data to NASA.

The NASA research study has been discontinued and the passenger data has been returned to Northwest Airlines.

Northwest believes that it was appropriate to provide data directly to NASA for a research study designed to improve aviation security. In the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, the federal government was searching for technological solutions to improve aviation security and it was the responsibility of the airline industry to cooperate with these efforts.

By providing the passenger name record data directly to NASA, a federal agency with its own strict privacy protections, Northwest acted appropriately and consistent with its own privacy policy and all applicable federal laws.

Northwest Airlines’ current policy is to not provide passenger name record data to private contractors or federal government agencies for use in aviation security research projects. While Northwest Airlines still believes it would be appropriate to provide such data to the U.S. Government to advance aviation security, in light of current privacy concerns, Northwest believes a data protection protocol addressing privacy concerns should be developed before any further aviation security research with passenger data is conducted.”