Spain’s Air Europa said on Tuesday that it suffered a cyberattack on its online payment system that let some of its customers’ credit card details exposed. The airline emailed those customers whose cards were affected and notified the relevant financial institutions, it said in a statement. The company said no other information has been exposed, and there is no evidence that the stolen data was used to commit fraud. It continues to analyze what happened and the attack’s origin and to work with cybersecurity personnel.
Air Europa said it has “no doubt that this incident could have been averted with better security measures,” which it is now implementing. It is asking its customers to cancel any cards they use on its website and to report unauthorized transactions, it said in the statement. It also asks people to check for suspicious messages on social networks or via telephone or email that appear to be coming from their bank or its company.
The airline has been in turmoil during the coronavirus pandemic, with passenger numbers falling sharply and debts rising due to losses on its routes. It has seen its share price plunge by over a third and is struggling to meet ends. The government last month agreed to rescue it, the first time the Spanish government has stepped in to save a private firm during the pandemic. It will inject EUR475 million into Air Europa to avoid bankruptcy and help it return to profitability.
Iberia’s owner, IAG, has approved the purchase of Air Europa from its current owners, Globalia. The boards of both airlines have signed an agreement to complete the transaction within 18 months. The deal is subject to approval by the European Commission, which can block mergers or acquisitions that might lead to a significant distortion of competition in the European Union. The companies have been told to submit remedies to address this.
The deal will give IAG a more significant presence in the highly lucrative market of Europe to Latin America, which is where Air Europa has a strong position. Its fleet of 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners – including 10 of the -8 version and 12 of the -9 – is the largest in the region, and it has a further 15 on order.
The Air Europa brand will be retained and run as a separate profit center, while Iberia, which already owns most of the country’s other major carriers, will gain access to a new route network. The companies currently serve 130 destinations in Europe and South America. They are both members of the SkyTeam alliance. Air Europa, owned by the tourism group Globalia, is based in Madrid and has hubs at Mahon on Menorca, Barcelona, and Palma. It flies to destinations in Europe and Latin America, including Quito, Dusseldorf and Venice. It also has an extensive air cargo business. Its loyalty program is called SUMA.
