Lifetime TPs and partner cards - data protection issue
Mar 24, 2015, 9:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Programs: MUCCI, BA LTG/GGL/CCR, AF PLAT, ETHIHAD AND LH USELESS PLASTIC
Posts: 2,063
Lifetime TPs and partner cards - data protection issue
Has anyone else noticed that their two silver and gold partner card nominees
receive an email correctly quoting their Avios balance, but also stating the lifetime TP balance of the nominator?
I was with a colleague this morning who showed me his gold card welcome email (third year running) and it said something like 'here's a bit of good news...'
He then questioned the huge number of lifetime TPs on the top of the email, which was actually my account balance.
He was amazed and I was a little embarrassed. It was no big issue in the end, but I was a bit annoyed that BA had disclosed this figure to him and no doubt my two Silver nominees too.
I have written a note to GGL about this.
receive an email correctly quoting their Avios balance, but also stating the lifetime TP balance of the nominator?
I was with a colleague this morning who showed me his gold card welcome email (third year running) and it said something like 'here's a bit of good news...'
He then questioned the huge number of lifetime TPs on the top of the email, which was actually my account balance.
He was amazed and I was a little embarrassed. It was no big issue in the end, but I was a bit annoyed that BA had disclosed this figure to him and no doubt my two Silver nominees too.
I have written a note to GGL about this.
Mar 24, 2015, 9:36 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Had the same issue the other day. I gifted a card to a friend and he quoted my lifetime balance. I was somewhat surprised that my information was contained within his email. I suspect it's an IT glitch, but it won't get fixed unless we push it. I will raise the same with the GGL line.
Mar 24, 2015, 10:28 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 228
Sorry to sound confrontational but I think you may be being slightly precious. We aren't talking your bank balance, your mortgage balance or medical records here.
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
Last edited by londonclubguy; Mar 24, 2015 at 10:34 am
Mar 24, 2015, 1:27 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Programs: MUCCI, BA LTG/GGL/CCR, AF PLAT, ETHIHAD AND LH USELESS PLASTIC
Posts: 2,063
Sorry to sound confrontational but I think you may be being slightly precious. We aren't talking your bank balance, your mortgage balance or medical records here.
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
Not sure what is so difficult to grasp about that
Mar 24, 2015, 1:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Platinum, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,019
But these aren't random third parties/strangers. They're people you nominate for your partner cards....so it's hardly outrageous for BA to assume that you have a reasonable relationship with them.
Mar 24, 2015, 2:37 pm
#9
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
Sorry to sound confrontational but I think you may be being slightly precious. We aren't talking your bank balance, your mortgage balance or medical records here.
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
They are just frequent flyer rewards. It really isn't important to the majority of the world. And further more what are the parties who receive said information actually going to do with it? It's hardly going to damage your reputation 'OMG 'x' has 20billion TPs' 'wow! GASP'
Mar 24, 2015, 4:23 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Programs: MUCCI, BA LTG/GGL/CCR, AF PLAT, ETHIHAD AND LH USELESS PLASTIC
Posts: 2,063
So who is supposed to decide whether information is important and should or shouldn't be disclosed and to whom? The answer is - of course - that no personal information should be stored or used outside of the framework of the data protection act. I suspect BA's information officer will be mortified to find out that this has happened and will move swiftly to prevent it happening in the future.
I haven't yet received a reply from GGL, but good to see your sensible and rational post here golfmad!
Mar 24, 2015, 4:26 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 228
Lifetime TPs and partner cards - data protection issue
I think bibbju is spot on. You have given out the cards to those who are clearly near/dear to you. It's like my wife knowing my avios balance by subtracting hers from our household account total.
These people seeing how many Lifetime TPs you have is inconsequential. Given you are GGL I'm sure your nearest/dearest are well aware especially as they have been given partner cards and the first question would have been 'how?' and your likely response is I'm considered important to BA due to the amount of business I give them.
These people seeing how many Lifetime TPs you have is inconsequential. Given you are GGL I'm sure your nearest/dearest are well aware especially as they have been given partner cards and the first question would have been 'how?' and your likely response is I'm considered important to BA due to the amount of business I give them.
Mar 24, 2015, 4:53 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Pasadena, CA
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hyatt Plat, Amex Plat.
Posts: 651
bibbju makes a good common sense point. But I believe the flaw in bibbju's argument is that is improperly transfers the burden of data protection to Highlife by asking him to nominate only those folks with whom he feels comfortable sharing his balances. Yet BA's rules allow him to nominate whosoever he wishes, be it spouse, concubine, gardener, driver or anyone. Now, if BA prescribed the relations to such cards would be given, then perhaps it would be different. But I have hard time defending BA here when they are sending emails with balances to third parties, even third party nominees.
Mar 24, 2015, 4:57 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Cambridgeshire
Programs: Varies
Posts: 1,297
I would be deeply uncomfortable if that kind of information was given to any of my friends, family or colleagues. If it happened to me I would be complaining too. Clearly some people don't value their privacy as much as I do, but that doesn't mean that I'm not entitled to it and shouldn't demand it.
Mar 24, 2015, 6:44 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Programs: MUCCI, BA LTG/GGL/CCR, AF PLAT, ETHIHAD AND LH USELESS PLASTIC
Posts: 2,063
They are not necessarily 'near' and 'dear' to me, and what difference does that make anyway?
I might choose to give away a GC or SC in a charity auction to someone I don't know, or I might nominate someone I meet here.
Private information is just that; P R I V A T E, until I decide to give it out.
And again no, it is nothing like your wife being able to deduce your Avios balance by subtracting her own.
As you must surely realise, TPs do not work like this in a HHA, or between you and the people you choose as your SC / GC nominees.
I give up.
Over to BA and their response to my email.