Frequent flyer data breached

BOSTON — The hack of a company that manages ticket-processing and frequent-flier data for major global airlines — including Star Alliance and OneWorld members — has compromised the personal data of an unspecified number of travelers.

The hackers were able to access some computer systems at Atlanta-based SITA Passenger Service System for up to a month before the incident’s seriousness was confirmed on Feb. 24, a spokesman for the company’s Geneva-based parent company said.

The spokesman, Sandro Hofer, would not say how many airlines were affected — SITA says it serves more than 400 and is industryowned.

“The extent to which (frequent flyer alliances’) individual airlines were affected varies from airline to airline,” SITA said in a statement.

It said Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific had either issued statements or reached out to frequent-flyer members about the hack.

United Airlines said separately that the only customer data potentially accessed were names, frequent-flyer numbers and program status.