British Airways was hacked, and its customers are paying the price

To Fly. To Serve. To have your customers’ financial information stolen by unidentified hackers. 

British Airways today announced it was the victim of a data breach in which the “personal and financial details” of customers were stolen. The Guardian reports that 380,000 “payment cards” were affected. 

So who exactly are those hundreds of thousands of victims? According to the airline, customers using the BA website or mobile app to make “bookings” between Aug. 21 and Sept. 5 are the ones who should be nervously checking their credit card statements. 

“We are deeply sorry for the disruption that this criminal activity has caused,” read the press release. “We take the protection of our customers’ data very seriously.”

While this is certainly bad for both British Airways and its customers, things could have been worse. Namely, at least assuming the airline is correct, the hackers did not get away with customers’ passport numbers. So at least there’s that. 

“The personal and financial details of customers making bookings on ba.com and the airline’s mobile app were compromised,” the press release reiterated. “No passport or travel details were stolen.”

Still, British Airways thinks that if you used its services during the aforementioned time period you should maybe go ahead and get in touch with your bank posthaste. You know, just in case. But what you do after you call the bank? Well, that’s not for BA to say, of course. 

“We recommend you contact your bank and follow their recommended advice,” read the statement.

The airline said it’s reaching out directly to customers whose data has been stolen, so keep an eye on your inbox.

This isn’t the first time an airline’s customers have been affected by a data breach. In April of this year the Wall Street Journal reported that a hack of one of Delta’s vendors possibly exposed the credit card details of hundreds of thousands of its customers. 

Not great, right?

It seems that British Airways is following the worst kind of airline trend. Other than reduced legroom, that is.