Qantas has issued an update after a cyberattack exposed the personal data of millions of Australians, including names, birth dates, and contact details.
On Wednesday, the airline confirmed that one of its contact centres had been targeted in a cyber breach, compromising customers’ names, birth dates, email addresses, and frequent flyer numbers.
Qantas clarified that sensitive data such as credit card, passport, and financial information was not stored in the affected systems. The airline also stated that, so far, no individuals have contacted them claiming possession of the stolen data.
In a statement released Friday morning, Qantas revealed that approximately six million customers were affected by the breach, though the airline’s core systems remain secure.
CEO Vanessa Hudson acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, saying the company is focused on offering transparency and answers to concerned customers.
“We understand how personal data breaches can feel and the anxiety they can cause,” Hudson said. “Right now, our priority is to give customers the clarity they deserve.”
Qantas said its investigation is advancing, with internal cybersecurity teams working in collaboration with top external experts to determine the full extent of the data exposure.
In response to the breach, the airline has introduced stricter security protocols, including requiring additional verification before granting access to Frequent Flyer accounts.
Starting next week, Qantas will begin informing affected customers about the specific data fields compromised in their individual cases, noting that the details will vary per person.
“We’ve also boosted staffing at our contact centres to better support customers,” Qantas noted, adding that over 5,000 inquiries have already come through their dedicated support line.
In a separate email sent on Wednesday, Hudson reassured customers that there was no need to reset passwords or PINs unless access issues were experienced.
“We’re finalising a system that will allow us to provide each affected customer with more detailed information about the personal data involved,” she said.
Hudson emphasized that Qantas is taking the incident extremely seriously and has strengthened its cybersecurity measures accordingly.
“Our customers can be confident that we’ve allocated the right expertise and resources to address this issue thoroughly,” she added, also apologising for the “uncertainty” caused.
Impacted customers can reach Qantas support via 1800 971 541 or +61 2 8028 0534.
