ASATA warns PNR contact misuse could breach POPIA and expose airlines to fines

ASATA has warned that using passenger name record (PNR) contact details for unsolicited marketing could breach South Africa’s POPIA and damage travel agents’ relationships with clients, while IATA’s Resolution 830d requires agents to give passengers the option to share contact details with airlines for operational notifications.

The association’s CEO says PNR contact information should be shared only for operational updates such as cancellations, schedule changes and delays, and argues that airlines’ use of the data for direct marketing without consent would violate POPIA’s purpose‑limitation principle, exposing airlines to fines.