New FAA Regulation Permits Private Jet Owners to Keep Travel Plans Confidential
Concerns about safety have emerged related to the monitoring of high-profile individuals traveling via private jets.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is rolling out a data privacy policy enabling owners of private jets to conceal their travel details from public access.
“Beginning today, they can submit requests via the Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) to ensure this information is not displayed publicly on any FAA websites.”
In its announcement, the FAA indicated that this decision on data protection was made in light of a privacy clause included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
This clause permits aircraft owners to ask that specific personally identifiable information be kept confidential and not disclosed on FAA websites.
“The FAA will publish a notice in the Federal Register to solicit feedback on this decision, including whether the removal of such information would hinder the ability of stakeholders to fulfill essential functions like maintenance, safety checks, and regulatory compliance,” the agency stated.
Related Stories
“The FAA is also considering defaulting to withhold the personally identifiable information of private aircraft owners and operators from the public registry.”
While some argue that such tracking features enable the public to monitor carbon emissions, others express concern that surveillance of aircraft movements may endanger high-profile users of this mode of transport.
The newly established rule could negatively impact jet tracking services that rely on FAA data as a primary source for detailing the flights of well-known individuals.
The letter described the student’s actions as “willful and repeated harassment” alongside “intentional, offensive, and outrageous conduct and consistent privacy violations” against Swift.
Swift’s attorneys argued that the student’s tracking provided “a guide for individuals who harbor harmful or malicious intentions.”
Critics point to the significant carbon emissions of private jets to challenge the sincerity of wealthy celebrities and politicians who advocate for actions against climate change while personally utilizing these aircraft.
