Italy's privacy watchdog fines Emirates over handling of passenger health data

Italy's privacy watchdog fines Emirates over handling of passenger health data ROME, June 17 : Italy's data protection authority said on Wednesday it had fined the Emirates airline €180,000 ($208,890) for the allegedly unfair handling of health data of passengers with reduced mobility. • The case stemmed from a complaint by a passenger who said Emirates had made her fill in a medical form even though she was not among the categories required to submit such documentation. • The Italian regulator found that the processing of health data itself was lawful as necessary to guarantee safe transport and assistance, but identified breaches on transparency and data storage limits. • The authority said Emirates failed to provide sufficiently clear and complete privacy information, either on its website or through staff assisting passengers. • It also found that the airline retained health data collected via medical forms for seven years, which it considered excessive and disproportionate. • Emirates was not immediately available for comment. ($1 = 0.8617 euros)