It shouldn't be shared publicly. As you note, the booking reference plus the passenger's name generally lets you make changes to bookings.
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In general, there is no good reason to provide anyone with your booking code or confirmation number (or whatever your airline calls it). The only purpose of this code is to check-in, rebook, cancel, or otherwise mess with your flight, and nobody besides you should be doing any of those things.
The booking number is an important code that you receive when you book a flight. This code, also known as a filekey, booking code, or booking reference, is used to identify and track your booking.
“Many airlines use only the data on the boarding pass, specifically the confirmation code and last name to allow full access to your online account. These can be abused to access your personal data that is stored by the airline.”
In accordance with the underlying statutory framework (49 USC Chapter 441) and as described in the applicable SORN, the information maintained in the aircraft record is available to the public upon request.
Aside from military and government sensitive flights, flight information collected by the FAA is considered public information because taxpayers pay for air traffic controllers, runways, towers, and other resources utilized by both commercial and private pilots.
A booking reference is a unique code specific to an individual reservation.It is also known as a Record/Booking Locator (or RecLoc), PNR Code, confirmation number or reference number. It can be found on your tickets, booking confirmation or travel documentation.
Only the person whose name is printed on the ticket can travel on that ticket. If you want someone else to travel on that ticket, you need to get the traveler name changed on the ticket before going for check-in.
The ticket number is a 13-digit number that you will find on your passenger receipt as well as on your boarding pass. The ticket number shown on your passenger receipt is often separated by a hyphen.