To provide a general awareness of Human Trafficking and familiarise staff with the signs to identify and handle suspicious movements.

Human Trafficking is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to lure their victims for the purpose of exploitation. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, and lack of social security or political instability.

Guest facing employees such as cabin crew, check-in and gate agents, security screeners etc. can be an important source of intelligence for the relevant authorities when they are able to identify the signs of trafficking. The prevention of human trafficking begins on the ground by detecting potential signals at the airport and before boarding the aircraft.

• Guest is looking anxious at check in. He/she behaves as though they are being watched by someone who is not an obvious travelling companion.
• Acts as if instructed by another, but may not appear to be travelling with someone
• Wears inappropriate clothing for their age or weather condition
• Appears expressionless or unhappy
• Does not behave in a way that is seen to be typical of someone their age
• Appears sedated or incoherent Signs of injuries or scars that could be the result of an assault
• Travelling without luggage, personal effects or inappropriately small size luggage
• Booking made last minute by someone who is not travelling, or paid for in cash

• Appears nervous, withdrawn, afraid – especially of the person they are accompanied by
• Checked in with/ by someone who is sitting in another part of the plane for no apparent reason
• Avoids eye contact with accompanying passenger or appears unduly submissive
• Children travelling without parents or close family or children who do not seem to fit the family group
• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves – observed by an ‘escort’
• Does not speak the same language as the person(s) they are travelling with (especially if there is a noticeable age gap or difference in ethnicity)
• Subjected to insults, abuse, threats or violence by accompanying passenger
• Travel documents/ passport/ money are held by someone else. Ability to Answer questions
• Unsure of their own travel route. Does not know what country they are in/ where they are transiting/ their intended destination
• Can only answer specific security or immigration related questions, answer appear to be rehearsed. Unable to answer more general questions – what’s your name, where are you from, how old are you, etc. Provide no credible answers about the purpose of the travel, their employer or tourist activities.
• Difficulties completing basic details (e.g. name, Date of Birth, nationality) without referring to documentation or asking another passenger

• Potential Traffickers
• Appears to be leading a group who do not know each other but are not on tour
• Seen with another passenger, but then disassociates from them at check in, on board and through security/immigration controls
• Controls all aspects of transport arrangements from check in through boarding gate
• An unexplained increase in levels of supervision close to landing
• A significantly older male acting as if he were the boyfriend of an underage/young female

Airport team members shall act with care and make every effort to avoid causing harm to themselves or to the possible victim. Under no circumstances should the safety of the suspected victim and airport team members be compromised. If you should suspect a case, a proper detailed assessment of the situation is necessary before any response can be initiated.

• Check without being noticed (being discreet) if any trafficking signals
• Ask colleagues to check as well
• Ask colleagues to check as well
• Try to initiate informal conversation
• Act normally
• Do not confront the trafficker or rescue victim
• Note seat number and passenger names or PNR
• If accompanied, note if companion is nervous, prevents the person from answering questions, is rude or evasive
• Assess the situation with colleagues and Duty Manager
• Be cautious and DO NOT try and act on behalf of law enforcement
• Assess the level of threat and follow the advised procedures Staff shall report suspected case to a Supervisor/delegate who will inform the relevant authorities, as applicable. Once this is completed, no other action is required.

Overall responsibility for identifying, apprehending and prosecuting human trafficking is solely the responsibility of state regulators and enforcement agencies.

However, airlines can play an important support role as aviation is one of the primary modes of transportation used by traffickers.