Why don't we just hand out copies of George Orwell's 1984 instead?
I can think of a several reasons why this is a bad idea...
Ethical theories of justice in transfer hold that any exchange of property (information in this case) is OK only if
1. both parties understand the consequences of the property( information) transfer,
2. the property(information) is rightly held, and
3 there is no coersion.
AC is not putting those numbers on the baording cards for anyone's use but their own.
They don't intend to have us use them like that, therefore the transfer is unethical.
Also, those numbers are the proprietary information of AC.
Would we be telling air Canada we're doing this? To make it work we wouldn't, as they would then take the numbers off the B/C's. Witholding ( I.e. lying) about our real use of the information would be another ethical error.
Also we would be treating the agent as a means to an end, rather than respecting them as an end in their own right. In other words, we want to improve air travel conditions, so we exploit individual rights to do it. Wrong again.
Lastly, it's also against the law...see the new Canadian Privacy act covering the collection and dissemination of information in digital databases:
http://www.privcom.gc.ca/english/02_06_01_01_e.htm
an organization may, without the knowledge or consent of the individual, use personal information only if
(a) in the course of its activities, the organization becomes aware of information that it has reasonable grounds to believe could be useful in the investigation of a contravention of the laws of Canada, a province or a foreign jurisdiction that has been, is being or is about to be committed, and the information is used for the purpose of investigating that contravention;
(b) it is used for the purpose of acting in respect of an emergency that threatens the life, health or security of an individual;
(c) it is used for statistical, or scholarly study or research, purposes that cannot be achieved without using the information,the information is used in a manner that will ensure its confidentiality, it is impracticable to obtain consent and the organization informs the Commissioner of the use before the information is used;
(c.1) it is publicly available and is specified by the regulations; ...
Ethically and legally it would have to be a two way street: Air canada and the employees would have to approve of this database.
[This message has been edited by terminalcity (edited 03-06-2001).]