Source: OT-Team(G)
A recent incident has raised concerns about the risks of sharing flight details on social media.
A traveler, preparing for a trip to the U.S., shared a screenshot of his United Airlines booking on social media, intending to praise the airline's app experience. However, the unedited screenshot exposed critical information, including his full name and flight order number, which led to significant consequences.
The traveler, who was scheduled to fly on United Airlines flight UA199 from Shanghai to Orlando with layovers in Los Angeles and Houston, quickly received warnings from other users in the comments section: "Be careful, someone could change or cancel your ticket!" Unfortunately, this advice came too late. His entire flight itinerary was soon canceled.
The situation worsened when other users, with access to the exposed information, discovered that his TSA Pre-Check details were altered, and even his emergency contact information was compromised. The core issue stemmed from the traveler's failure to hide key details such as his PNR (Passenger Name Record) and last name, both of which are central to managing flight bookings.
Experts explain that the PNR and surname are crucial to making changes to flight reservations, including cancellations and ticket modifications. This means that exposing such details, even unintentionally, can lead to unauthorized actions on the account. Fortunately, the traveler did not share his EVUS information, or his U.S. visa could have been at risk of being revoked.
While it's common to share travel updates on social media, it's essential to protect sensitive information. Travelers should always blur or obscure personal details, such as names, passport numbers, order numbers, and QR codes, before posting images of tickets, passports, or visas.
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