Qantas Investigates Potential Hack of Frequent Flyer Loyalty App

Angus Whitley, Bloomberg News

The Qantas Airways Ltd. logos displayed on aircraft tails at Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. Qantas is scheduled to release earnings results on Aug. 24. Photographer Brent Lewin/Bloomberg Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd. said a technology upgrade caused the airline’s frequent flyer app to malfunction on Wednesday, allowing some members to access the travel details, personal data and boarding passes of complete strangers.

The issue has been resolved and there’s no indication it was the result of a cyberattack, the Australian airline said in a statement.

Social media posts pointed to a serious data breach inside Qantas’ points business, a loyalty program with 16 million members that’s a financial pillar of the airline.

Some app users could view the credit status and travel plans of multiple passengers. At least one person logged in and had the ability to cancel someone else’s flight to Europe, according to local media.

Qantas announced a revamp of the loyalty division last month, making millions more seats available for frequent flyers to appease customers frustrated at the former redemption model. The airline didn’t say whether Wednesday’s glitch was related to the recent changes.

Read More: Qantas Flyers Splurge 1 Billion Points in Loyalty Seat Overhaul

Qantas said in its statement it’s not aware of any passengers traveling with the wrong boarding passes, and customers would not have been able to transfer or use other people’s points.

(Adds reason for malfunction in first paragraph.)