Sept 29 (Reuters) - Canadian carrier WestJet

said on Monday the personal information of some passengers was

exposed in a cybersecurity breach earlier this year, though no

payment data was compromised.

The airline said it detected suspicious activity on June 13

and later determined that a "sophisticated, criminal third

party" had gained unauthorized access to its systems.

The aviation industry's growing dependence on complex

digital systems and vast stores of passenger data has made it an

increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals.

Earlier this month, a ransomware attack on Collins

Aerospace, a unit of RTX, disrupted operations across

major European airports, crippling check-in and baggage systems

at popular hubs such as London's Heathrow and Berlin.

WestJet said the type of data exposed in the breach varied

but could include names, contact details, travel information and

documents tied to reservations.

However, no credit card and debit card numbers, expiration

dates and CVV numbers were obtained during the breach.

In a notice to U.S. residents on Monday, the carrier said it

had worked closely with law enforcement agencies, including the

Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canadian Centre for

Cyber Security.

It also notified relevant authorities, including the

attorneys general of U.S. states where residents were affected.