UK airports face growing data trust challenge in face of cyber fears

According to Getronics’ 2025 Travel Trust Barometer, the results of which are based on a nationally representative study of 2,000 UK air passengers, the public mood is one of caution in what’s now an environment of heightened digital awareness.

The research follows several recent high-profile UK cyber attacks keeping digital trust and data security very much in the public eye.

Andrew Madigan, client director at Getronics, explained: “Travellers are telling us they want convenience, but not at the cost of control. While there is concern, there’s also a clear path forward for airports that build transparent, reliable and consent-based systems.”

Personal data

Asked whether they agreed with the statement: ‘I’m concerned about the security of my personal data when travelling’, 59% of respondents said that they are, while 20% disagreed. The remaining 21% were unsure, suggesting that many travellers could still be positively influenced through clear communication and ‘privacy first’ design.

When asked which types of personal data cause them the most concern, 40% of respondents highlighted credit card details, followed by 30% who said passport information and 14% who cited contact details.

Madigan asserted: “Unsurprisingly, financial data is seen by passengers as particularly high risk. This is an issue that affects all aviation industries and their partners, not just airports. It’s a reminder that joined-up passenger experiences and robust cyber defences go hand in hand.”

Areas of optimism

Despite passengers’ concerns, the survey also identifies areas of optimism for airport technology teams. While just 23% of respondents strongly agreed that they would be happy to store passport information or a biometric identifier (such as a fingerprint or face scan) on their smart phone to speed up travel, an additional 43% said they were open to the idea.

A further 76% of airport passengers questioned would be either very comfortable or fairly comfortable with facial recognition being used as the primary method of verifying personal security information.

Greater use of technology 

Rob Nidschelm, global head of operational security at Getronics, stated: “The good news for airports is that this is not a rejection of technology. Travellers are open to greater use of technology in return for an improved experience. However, our own threat intelligence continues to highlight a persistent rise in targeted attacks on aviation, particularly so on passenger data systems, biometric platforms and third party integrations critical to airport operations.”

Nidschelm continued: “This isn’t theoretical. We’ve seen ransomware groups and state-linked actors specifically probing airport defences across Europe. With the push towards a digital and paperless experience ever increasing, the sensitivity of the data increases its value to hacking groups. Trust in digital travel relies on trust in the security that lies behind it. The aviation sector must treat cyber security not as a compliance checkbox, but as a continuous operational priority.”

The research also found that digital boarding passes are now close to parity with paper. 29% of respondents prefer a digital boarding pass compared to 28% who favour a printed version. Another 17% said they had no preference.

Nidschelm concluded: “This shows that passenger behaviour is changing, but systems must remain inclusive. Trust depends on giving people options rather than forcing them into unknown territory which could be a case of too much, too soon.”

*Read Getronics’ 2025 Travel Trust Barometer in full online