Information Collected Automatically

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Airports Authority) is committed to maintaining privacy for users of Airports Authority websites and mobile applications (Apps). This Airports Authority On-Line Privacy Statement and Policy applies to data collected from, and as a result of, your use of Airports Authority-owned websites and Apps, as well as online services available on the Airports Authority’s websites. As a result of accessing an Airports Authority website or Apps, information about your visit is automatically collected and stored. This information does not identify you personally. The Airports Authority automatically collects and stores only the following information about your visit:

1. The Internet domain (for example, "youragency.gov" if you connect from a government domain, "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a university's domain, or "xcompany.com" if you use a private Internet access account) and IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are using the Internet) from which you access our websites or Apps;
2. The type of device, browser and operating system you use to access our websites or Apps;
3. The date, time, and location (e.g., country or city) from which you access our websites or Apps;
4. The pages you visit;
5. If you linked to our websites from another website, the address of that website; and
6. In some cases, which links you follow from our websites or Apps.

The Airports Authority uses this information to help us make our on-line services more useful to visitors, to learn about the number of visitors to our websites or Apps, and to better understand the types of technology our visitors use.

Cookies

The Airports Authority uses two types of "cookies," described below. A "cookie" is a file placed on your hard drive by a website:

1. A “session" cookie, which is temporary and lasts only for the time period your browser is open and enables better browsing or navigation through our websites.
2. A “persistent” cookie, which is stored on your hard drive and allows our websites to differentiate between new users and returning users.

To prevent the use of either type of cookie, you can “turn off” cookies within your browser. Turning off cookies may impact your user experience while visiting our websites, but you will be able to continue to access all information on our websites. 

Similarly, while an App is installed on your device, a unique identifier is temporarily stored on your device.  The unique identifier is automatically deleted when you uninstall the App.

Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager ("GTM"), a tag management system provided by Google, to deploy and manage analytics, advertising, and other website technologies. GTM itself does not collect personal information for its own purposes. Rather, it facilitates the operation of other technologies that may collect information about your device, browsing activity, and interactions with our Services. These technologies may include analytics, advertising, conversion measurement, and user-experience tools. 

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Services, measure website performance, identify areas for improvement, and enhance the user experience. Google Analytics may collect information such as IP address, device and browser characteristics, pages viewed, navigation paths, interactions with content, approximate geographic location, and referral information. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to distinguish users and generate reports regarding website usage.

Google Ads Conversion Tracking

We use Google Ads Conversion Tracking to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and understand whether visitors complete specific actions after interacting with our advertisements. This technology may collect information about your interactions with our Services, including page visits, conversions, and other engagement metrics. Information collected may be used to measure advertising performance and improve the relevance of future communications and advertising.

Meta (Facebook) Pixel

We use the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our communications and advertising, understand how visitors interact with our Services, and improve our digital outreach efforts. The Meta Pixel may collect or disclose information such as online identifiers, IP address, device and browser information, pages viewed, interactions with content, and conversion events. 

Hotjar 

We use Hotjar on our websites in order to better understand our users’ needs and to optimize this service and experience. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us to better understand our users’ experience (e.g., how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our services with user feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our uses’ behavior and their devices. This includes a device’s IP address (processed during your session and stored in a de-identified form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), and the preferred language used to display our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymized user profile. Hotjar is contractually forbidden to sell any of the data collected on our behalf. 

CleanTalk

CleanTalk is used to protect our website forms from spam, automated submissions, fraudulent registrations, and other abusive activities. When you submit information through our website, CleanTalk analyzes certain technical information and form submission data, such as IP address, browser information, device characteristics, and submission behavior, to determine whether the activity is legitimate or automated. This helps us to maintain the security, reliability, and availability of our online services and prevent misuse of our website. Information processed through CleanTalk is used solely for security, fraud prevention, and spam detection purposes. We do not use this information for advertising or marketing purposes.

AI Chatbot

Our Services may offer an AI-powered chatbot to assist users with information and support requests. Information you submit to the chatbot, including prompts and conversation content, may be processed to provide responses, improve service performance, maintain security, and comply with legal obligations. Chatbot prompts and conversation data are retained for up to 29 days and are not sold or shared with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes. We disclose chatbot information only to authorized service providers operating on our behalf. Users should not submit sensitive personal information through the chatbot.  AI-generated responses may be inaccurate or incomplete and should be independently verified when appropriate.

Personal Information

The Airports Authority collects personal information (yourname, email address, credit card information, zip code, and/or telephone number) only when it is specifically and knowingly provided by you. The Airports Authority uses the personal information we collect solely for Airports Authority-related services, or as otherwise required by law. Also, the Airports Authority will disclose personal information you provide pursuant to our Freedom of Information Policy when the information is not exempt from disclosure by the Policy. The Airports Authority does not  give or sell the information to any private organizations, except when necessary for a purpose described in this Policy. Nor does the Airports Authority disclose personal information for third party commercial marketing, or sell data for direct mail or advertising purposes. You will have the ability to opt out of any future promotional communications from the Airports Authority at the time you submit your email address or other personal information.

Your Rights to Personal Information about You Maintained by the Airports Authority

If you wish to confirm whether the Airports Authority maintains your personal data, to request access to your personal data, to correct inaccuracies to your personal data, or request that the Airports Authority delete your personal data, you may submit such request in writing to [email protected] or to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, ATTN: Privacy Officer, 1 Aviation Cir., Washington, D.C. 20001. The Airports Authority will respond to your request in writing within 45 days of receipt, or up to 90 days upon notice to you.  

Links to Third Party Websites

The Airports Authority websites and Apps have links to third party websites. Once you link to another site and leave an Airports Authority website or App, the Airports Authority is no longer responsible for the privacy or security of your data, and you are subject to the privacy policy of that third party website. Additionally, the Airports Authority does not endorse, sponsor, or provide preferential treatment to any third-party websites or to persons or other entities associated with third party websites. The Airports Authority does not control third party websites and, therefore, does not warrant that third party websites are accurate or reliable or that links on third party websites are operational. By selecting a link to a third-party website, you release the Airports Authority from any liability for damages of any type resulting from your accessing that third party website.

Security

The Airports Authority takes security of information and systems very seriously and employs industry accepted best practices to secure its websites and all information entrusted to us. Airports Authority practices include: employing internal access controls to information; encrypting sensitive data; employing password protections, firewalls, and anti-virus/anti-malware software; applying security patches; and periodically testing and upgrading security.

Notification of Changes

The Airports Authority reserves the right to make changes to this policy at any time, without notice.  If the Airports Authority changes this policy, it will post any changes so that you are always aware of what information is collected, how that information is used, and under what circumstances, if any, the information is disclosed.

Questions

Send questions about this policy or about your dealings with Airports Authority websites or Apps to:

Webmaster
MWAA MA-610
1 Aviation Circle
Washington, DC 20001-6000