Italy’s privacy watchdog has fined Emirates €180,000 over its handling of health data from passengers with reduced mobility. The regulator accepted that medical processing can be lawful for flight safety and assistance, but said Emirates fell short on transparency and kept MEDIF data for seven years, well beyond what was needed for the trip.
The case began with a complaint from a passenger who said she was asked to complete a medical form despite not falling into a category that required it. The Garante also said Emirates failed to give clear privacy information on its website or through staff. The ruling pushes airlines to tighten MEDIF notices and cut retention periods for sensitive passenger data.