Australian airline Qantas detects cyberattack compromising personal data of up to six million customers
Cyberattack Targets Qantas’ Third-Party Customer Service Platform
Qantas is facing a major cybersecurity incident after detecting a breach on 30 June in a third-party platform that stores sensitive customer data. The breach may have affected as many as six million individuals, prompting the airline to alert authorities and contact impacted users.
The compromised data includes:
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Full names
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Email addresses
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Phone numbers
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Birth dates
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Frequent flyer membership numbers
While no financial or passport details were exposed, Qantas warns that the extent of the data accessed could be “significant.”
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Airline Assures No Impact to Operations or Safety
Despite the breach, Qantas confirmed that its core operations remain unaffected. CEO Vanessa Hudson issued a public apology, acknowledging the anxiety the breach could cause.
“We sincerely apologise to our customers and we recognise the uncertainty this will cause,” said Hudson.
“There is no impact to our flight operations or safety systems.”
Qantas is now working with the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to assess the situation.
Link to Scattered Spider: Airline Sector on Alert
The breach comes just days after the FBI issued a cyber threat warning targeting the airline industry. The cybercriminal group Scattered Spider has been named in recent attacks on global carriers like Hawaiian Airlines and WestJet.
Qantas now joins a growing list of companies impacted by high-profile data breaches.
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Australia’s Growing Data Breach Crisis
The breach adds to a troubling trend in Australia’s cybersecurity landscape. Earlier this year, firms like AustralianSuper and Nine Media also suffered major leaks. In March 2025, the OAIC reported that 2024 marked the worst year for breaches since recordkeeping began.
“The trends we are observing suggest the threat of data breaches… is unlikely to diminish,” said Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind.
Both public and private sectors remain vulnerable, with rising urgency around tightening data protection frameworks.
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Qantas data breach exposes up to six million customer profiles
Visual Suggestions
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Image: Qantas planes lined up at an airport terminal
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Infographic: Timeline of Australian data breaches (2023–2025)
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Chart: Most targeted industries in Australian cyberattacks
