I have never claimed it to be illegal to recieve the messages (although that would be an interesting area of law, given the
retransmission of messages is usually illegal), but that is not the reason I give that we shouldn't publish them.
Crew send those messages knowing that whilst they are probably not entirely confidential, they do not expect them to end up on a spotting website for the world to read.
To those who say that removing the person's name gives privacy...
Quote:
VH-VPE VA0002 28/04/2009 10:56 V Australia B777-3ZG(ER) Los Angeles-Sydney
ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: .VH-VPE
Message label: 81 Block id: 6 Msg. no: M52A
Flight id: VA0002
Message content:-
/BNEPHVA.- OPS QUARANTINE UPDATE
3 MORE PAX HAVE REPORTED FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS PAX IN 24G 22A 35K
FA SUZAN HAS ALSO REPORTED SYMPTOMS.
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That is a lot of information given that would enable people to know who the person is, if they wanted to.
I stick with my claim that while we are technologically able to intercept the messages, we are NOT the intended recipient and have no business publishing the content.
I can tell you that the few "non spotting" aircrew I have talked to about this issue were not impressed at all that someone is putting their messages on the internet.
I guess for me I'd just like us to hold the moral high ground and not do something that could potentially damage the standing of spotters in the aviation community.