Airports collect and process large amounts of personally identifiable information, making effective data protection and privacy practices critical to safeguarding passengers and maintaining public trust. TRB hosted a webinar on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that provided guidance for airport staff seeking to protect sensitive data and individual privacy. Presenters discussed data protection and privacy considerations for U.S. airports, including approaches for managing personally identifiable information and planning for effective data protection. Attendees gained insights that can help their organizations strengthen data privacy practices and better protect passenger information.
This webinar was based on ACRP Research Report 281: Data Protection and Privacy Management at U.S. Airports: Guidelines.
This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program.
The slides are available. Please visit the webinar details page to access the recording.
Webinar agenda and presenters
An introduction to data, protection, and privacy at U.S. airports – Sean Cusson, Thompson Burton
Innovative solutions to addressing privacy concerns – Royce Holden, Mead & Hunt
Legalities and governance surrounding data protection at U.S. airports – Matt Breed, Seattle Tacoma Airport
Question and answer session moderated by Sean Cusson, Thompson Burton
The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants can:
Understand how personal identification, biometric, and payment information are used at airports
Define goals or objectives for airport professionals to manage personal data
Understand laws and guidelines relevant to personal data and privacy
American Institute of Certified Planners Certification Maintenance Credits
This webinar was approved by the American Planning Association (APA) for 1.5 Certification Maintenance (CM) Credits. CM credits provide continuing education opportunities for AICP Certified Planners to continue their professional skills and knowledge. To receive CM credits, Certified Planners should visit the TRB event webpage on American Planning Association and register their participation. If you have problems reporting your CM credits or have general questions about the CM program, please contact the APA.
Continuing Education Units for Accredited Airport Executives
The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) provided 1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) to accredited airport executives who attended this webinar. Claim CEUs by visiting www.aaae.org/ceu. For questions about AAAE continuing education units, please contact accreditation@aaae.org.
