For the last couple of flights with our private aircraft I noticed that FR24 knows the destination as soon as it pops up on FR24:
Not only that – it also has the EOBT and EET:
How do they get this info? Has access to filed flightplans became public?
Yes. If you file a flightplan for tomorrow it shows up in FR24 as scheduled.
I see mines as scheduled “for arrival” they hang around even when you cancel and do something else
I think FR24 has acess to all Eurocontrol FPL that arrive/depart from some “big airports” (e.g. LeTouquet, Southend…)
It just amazes me as to the general acceptance of this kind of privacy intrusion… image, for just a second, the same system installed for road traffic 
It is very surprising, but it has always been possible if you had an AFTN gateway. Many UK pilots got the AFPEX gateway. Very few use it today, but IIRC there was some way to form a query with it if you knew the reg and some other stuff. There was some basic security in there (to stop you cancelling BA’s recurring flight plans, etc ) but queries were possible.
That said, FR24 may well be getting this openly via some paid B2B gateway. I can think of two people who would know the answer but a) they would be under an NDA and b) they left EuroGA years ago after using it to launch their product
Privacy has always been somewhat limited in that almost everyone filing Eurocontrol flight plans will need Mode S to access the airspace (low level flights in France are one exception; can use Mode C) and will then be visible anyway.
Dan wrote:
It just amazes me as to the general acceptance of this kind of privacy intrusion…
People throw away their privacy all day long. If you have a smart phone Google or Apple (or both) know everything what you do with it.
People throw their most personal stuff on social media and post pictures from wherever they are.
All newer cars talk to their manufacturers all day long with sim cards sending positions and user profiles and what not.
So why the hubbub about these sites?
Google or Apple (or both) know everything what you do with it.
True, but they don’t necessarily know who you are (name, address, etc). For example your phone doesn’t know your phone number (unless it is an Iphone and you are using the I-message feature).
Same with a car.
Lots of telemetry goes on but it is (or should be!) anonymised.
The rationale for FR24 getting flight plans is not obvious.
It just amazes me as to the general acceptance of this kind of privacy intrusion… image, for just a second, the same system installed for road traffic
File with “coca-cola” callsign? or go to ZZZZ airport? manual VFR FPL adressing?
If you go IFR to Biggin,
I am not sure how much privacy is left? 
Peter wrote:
True, but they don’t necessarily know who you are (name, address, etc). For example your phone doesn’t know your phone number (unless it is an Iphone and you are using the I-message feature).
It is dosen’t know it “officially”, but what does it gather unofficially… It is all there, on your phone.
Including the address book, you e-mails & messages (and the content), browsing history etc.
Peter wrote:
True, but they don’t necessarily know who you are (name, address, etc). For example your phone doesn’t know your phone number (unless it is an Iphone and you are using the I-message feature).Same with a car.
Lots of telemetry goes on but it is (or should be!) anonymised.
You really believe that?
There is NO annonymity in any form for anyone who uses a device which contacts the Internet. None whatsoever. You choice is to either accept it or to go off grid. And good luck with that.
All the stupidities we have to do for data protection are pure CYA lawyer bullshit. Clicking away pop ups about cookies, giving a semblance of privacy which doesn’t exist anywhere.
Flight plan data are pretty open everywhere, also in the US. Fact of live. So whoever wants to use them, can do so. FR do have an opt-out system, so who doesn’t want their airplane tracked, can do that.
Like it or not is unfortunately irrelevant. Nothing you can do about it.
