FAQ - Travel Information

When can airline passenger reservation and other travel information, such as frequent flyer or hotel reservation information and special handling needs, such as meals to meet religious requirements or physical assistance, be transferred to organizations located outside Switzerland?

Such information may be transferred in several different circumstances. Under Article 6(2) FADP, personal data may be transferred to a third country “in the absence of legislation that guarantees adequate protection within the meaning of Article 6(1)” on the condition that:

  • It is necessary to provide the services requested by the consumer or to fulfill the terms of an agreement, such as a “frequent flyer” agreement; or
  • It has been unambiguously consented to by the consumer in the specific case.

U.S. organizations subscribing to the Safe Harbor provide adequate protection for personal data and may therefore receive data transfers from Switzerland without meeting those conditions or other conditions set out in Article 6 FADP. Since the Safe Harbor includes specific rules for sensitive information, such information (which may need to be collected, for example, in connection with customers’ needs for physical assistance) may be included in transfers to Safe Harbor participants. In all cases, however, the organization transferring the information has to respect the law in Switzerland, which may inter alia impose special conditions for the handling of sensitive data.