Research fees and document requirements before traveling.

Corruption remains a problem among customs and security personnel at some airports. Officials may insist that travelers pay fees or fines for fictitious violations. Some countries have strict requirements for certain documents, including vaccination records, and impose hefty (but legal) fines on travelers who do not have the required documents. If you are familiar with the published duties and fees, you can challenge the request for a fine. Bribes are illegal in every country- always use the term “fine” or “fee” when challenging the request for payment. If officials still insist on an additional fare, comply and pay the fine if the situation isn’t mitigated.

Stay vigilant entering the airport.

In places under constant threat, like Baghdad and Kabul, Afghanistan, security checkpoints begin miles from the terminal and include a myriad of scans, checks, and bomb-sniffing dogs. Following the Brussels airport bombing event, the airport added vehicle screening which occurs about a mile before the airport on the access road. US-based airports currently do not have street-side airport security; travelers can drive up to the terminal and use a convenient curbside bag-check. In this respect, it’s important to be aware of suspicious activity or baggage and report to airport security.

Be flexible.

While the aviation industry has made significant progress towards harmonizing aviation security screening standards across the world, some countries still have different procedures and standards. Travelers should not be alarmed if security procedures differ from those in their home country.

Be aware during bag check.

Have your ID at the ready and know the bag weight limit of the airline you’re flying. If prepared, you’re less likely to feel rushed or lose any belongings. Burglars have been known to hang around airports checking addresses to locate empty homes. It’s a good idea to make sure to hide your luggage tag so that passersby cannot view your home address.

Pack essentials in your carry-on.

To ensure the safekeeping of your electronics, medicine, and any other items that you will need access to during your flight, pack them in your carry-on. Keeping an eye on your carry-on is also important in wait lines. Bring a carry-on or purse that has a zipper to avoid a quick reach-and-grab. It may go without saying, but also never leave luggage unattended- even if someone next to you offers to watch it while you use the restroom.

Prepare for security checkpoints.

Once checked-in and in line for security, a standard rule of thumb is to take out electronics, cameras, and mobile devices and be ready to place them in a separate bin. Some checkpoint requirements are country-specific laws. For example, flights from some countries do not allow people to carry laptops in a carry-on. Other airports instruct the removal of shoes, belts, and anything metal. Know the security requirements of the places you are traveling to and from; you will be able to focus more on what is happening around you.

Move from landside to airside as quickly as possible.

Airside (post-security) areas of airports are less exposed to terrorism and crime than the landside, so travelers should try to get through from the landside to the airside as quickly as possible. Max Leitschuh, Sr. Intelligence Transportation Manager, says that passengers can take several steps to reduce their exposure to the possible threat of terrorist attacks in landside areas of airports. These include:

• Only bring carry-on luggage if possible
• Check in online before arriving at the airport
• Print boarding passes at home or send to a mobile device
• Proceed directly to security checkpoints after arriving at the airport instead of loitering in the landside areas
• Sign up for trusted traveler programs that are available (such as TSA Pre Check)

Passengers can sometimes use security checkpoints at terminals or concourses different from the scheduled flight concourse if they connect to the airside portion of the airport and the lines are shorter.

Be cognizant when you reach your destination.

Long flights, time differences, and travel itself can leave travelers tired. Be sure to take necessary steps to re-energize prior to arriving at your destination. This will allow you to stay alert as you transition from the airplane to the airport. Use peripheral vision to stay aware of your surroundings as you migrate through the airport. Make sure you only use official taxis or transportation that has been booked ahead of time. If staying at a hotel, pre-arrange an airport transfer using the hotel transportation service.

It’s important that travelers purchase insurance before embarking on a trip. Travel insurance covers emergency help if needed.

Background of Eco-activism 

Mainstream climate activist groups like Greenpeace and more-covert groups like the Earth Liberation Front have been active for several decades. Their actions have included raising awareness, staging protests, disrupting fishing industries, and occasionally acts of arson. Climate activists have been generally committed to nonviolence and bottom-up change, especially because their ideas generally are well-accepted by the population and politicians in Western Europe and North America.

Contemporary Activism in Europe

New actors have emerged on the eco-activism scene over the past year in response to the increased visibility of climate change effects and a growing public perception that government responses are inadequate. These activists have, in a very short time frame, secured a large number of followers and brought substantial attention to the threats posed by climate change. Greta Thurnberg, a 16-year-old climate activist from Sweden, who began protesting outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018 to raise awareness on the need for immediate action to combat climate change, has over 2 million followers on Instagram and has attracted worldwide attention. Extinction Rebellion, a climate movement formed in October 2018, already has 250,000 followers on Instagram and has chapters all over the world. In the world of political activism on Instagram, this number of followers is significant, and has also grown rapidly; they have each amassed hundreds of thousands of followers in less than a year. This demonstrates interest among the population in following these types of accounts.

Both Thurnberg and Extinction Rebellion have directly or indirectly contributed to various climate activism actions. Students from across Europe, inspired by Greta, have protested every Friday since August 2018 under the motto “Fridays for Future” and gained traction when they skipped school for a day to take part in large demonstrations calling for action on climate change. Extinction Rebellion has staged disruptive actions in multiple counties, but primarily in the UK. The UK protests include blocking roads during rush hours and a demonstration in front of the Scottish Parliament when some activists chained themselves to street poles. Other, smaller grassroots organizations have undertaken similar actions. Smasscruiseshit, a small group of activists from Germany, used boats to block a large cruise ship in the port of Hamburg, Germany as they demanded curbs on the emissions caused by the cruise industry. Additionally, thousands in Venice protested the environmental damage caused to the Venetian lagoon by cruise ships.

So far, although disruptive, these actions have not caused significant property damage. Most of the actions are advertised on social media, which allows travelers to be warned in time to avoid disruptions. However, with momentum on the side of climate activists, actions are likely to become larger and more disruptive in the long and medium-term. This larger scale of action will likely cause it to be more difficult for travelers and businesses to avoid disruptive actions undertaken by climate activists.

Future of the Movement

Growing participation and frustration with the lack of results that peaceful activism is producing may undermine climate activism’s commitment to non-violence. The central grievance of many climate activist groups, the notion of a climate catastrophe that could result in food shortages, drought, and tens of millions of ecological refugees, has strengthened and encouraged the activists’ perceived need to act attention and more visibility. This resolve could lead eco-activists to undertake more drastic actions such as engage in sabotage, arson, and usage of improvised explosive devices against governments and large corporations, especially corporations that cause significant pollution and or contribute to the perceived climate catastrophe. More radical elements of the climate activism movement would commit to these sorts of attacks to draw more attention and visibility to their cause. Such attacks would become more likely if demands for more climate protection are not met. Travelers should avoid all protests as a routine security precaution and to mitigate associated disruptions. Those in the Europe should follow alerts for demonstrations and activities that might cause disruptions to supply chains. It would also behoove companies to monitor disruptive climate activism events in countries where they have assets.

Start the Conversation
The reality is that many areas of the world still heavily discriminate against the LGBTQ community and criminalize expressions of sexuality. Travel and risk managers do not necessarily need to know the sexual preferences or sexual identities of their travelers to counsel them about the cultural and societal attitudes present at their destinations. Presenting a comprehensive overview in a matter-of-fact manner can side-step the need to pry into a person’s personal life while also setting up an environment conducive to deeper conversations and questions as necessary.

Understand LGBTQ Health Risks
Healthcare options may be especially limited for transgender individuals, who may need specialty medical care at their destination. These individuals may struggle to find needed medications or obtain a refill should they run out. Anti-hormone transition drugs suppress levels of testosterone to allow estrogens to take prominence but may have adverse effects on the heart. LGBTQ individuals may encounter challenges finding medical care and may be dissuaded from providing a complete medical history in areas that present a high threat for LGBTQ patients.

Most countries restrict the amount of medication travelers can enter with according to the length of the stay. In many instances, a maximum of 90 days of prescription medication may cross borders.

For expatriates, having a doctor’s note on letterhead, with the patient’s full name, medication name, dosage, and reason are required for refills and importation of prescription medication to many countries. The reason (diagnosis) may be especially challenging if traveling to a conservative country with a known low tolerance for the LGBTQ community and may present security challenges.

Surgery of any kind increases the risk of blood clots during flight. LGBTQ patients who have recently undergone surgical procedures should ensure adequate time between surgeries and flights. Some hormone therapies (especially estrogens) also place patients at risk for deep venous thromboses (DVT): blood clots that form in the legs and may become life-threatening if the clot or part of the clot travels to the lungs.

In more socially liberal countries, unconscious bias from healthcare workers may lead to substandard care. LGBTQ individuals need to be prepared to encounter these attitudes and be able to advocate for their care and proper treatment. Risk managers and travelers should research cultural tolerances and potential biases to determine if an advanced arrangement with a “preferred” treatment center is necessary.

Key Takeaways
Ensuring the safety of your LGBTQ personnel and students starts with a conversation. Transgender travelers require a duty-of-care policy that helps them prepare for the challenges they may face abroad. Ensuring the safety and health of these unique travelers is a corporate responsibility.

About WorldAware
WorldAware provides intelligence-driven, integrated risk management solutions that enable multinational organizations to operate globally with confidence. WorldAware’s end-to-end tailored solutions, integrated world-class threat intelligence, innovative technology, and response services help organizations mitigate risk and protect their people, assets, and reputations.

SAFETY AND SECURITY
Global Business travelers may enjoy the fact that the hotel provides a complimentary breakfast and reliable Wi-Fi, but what they value most is a better sense of security when they travel on behalf on their organizations, according to a joint survey conducted by American Global Business Travel and the Association for Corporate Travel Executives. Security and safety concerns are growing at a significantly faster rate than worries about other topics including work-life balance issues, traveler-centric technologies and alternative suppliers.

DUTY OF CARE
There is also a growing awareness on the part of organizations in the United States of the legal, moral and ethical obligations they owe their employees under the complex and sometimes vague principles of Duty of Care. Corporate security, travel managers, human resources, and other key stakeholders must understand the notion of Duty of Care in the context of business travel in order to ensure that their companies are making reasonably informed, good faith, rational efforts to protect their employees as they travel.

The elements of a comprehensive traveler safety program that meets Duty of Care best practices will vary among organizations, depending on size, number of traveling employees, destination risk ratings, medical concerns and a variety of other topics. However, there are elements of a successful program that apply to every organization.

BEST PRACTICES
Key stakeholders within the organization must meet on a regularly-scheduled basis to examine existing travel polices to determine if any improvements need to be made. A thorough examination of the plans may reveal vulnerabilities, including resource gaps. In some cases, plans may need to be expanded. Other companies may lack any substantial travel safety procedures, and entirely new plans must be developed. Plans and policies should cover both routine travel and emergency incidents, including accidents, medical emergencies, natural disasters, emergency evacuations, and violent incidents.

The ability to track personnel as they travel is another vital component of the traveler safety program. Many travel management programs rely on multiple third-party Company Managed Travel Providers (CMTP) to book travel and provide situational awareness of employees. A common problem with this system is that it only tells the company where the employee is supposed to be, not where they are. Travelers are often forced to make last-minute changes to their itinerary, and will often book their own travel, without notifying the CMTPs of the changes. Providing the traveler with a GPS-based personnel tracking system may be an option for those companies looking for a more effective way to maintain accountability of their travelers.

A risk assessment should be conducted prior to every trip, regardless of destination. The assessment should not focus solely on the country’s Risk Rating. As attacks in the UK, Belgium, France, Canada and the United States have shown, all countries are susceptible to acts of violence, not just those with a High or Elevated Risk Rating. Additionally, definitively assigning a Risk Rating can be difficult, as risk is largely based on individual perspective and context. Employees should be encouraged to take an active role in the risk assessment and travel planning process so that they fully understand any known or suspected risks associated with their destination. Providing education and training to employees is another critical component of the system.

The purpose of the training program is to develop the employee’s skills and knowledge, so they can perform their duties with minimal or no interruptions because of risk, security or medical-related issues. Providing training to employees empowers them to make informed decisions regarding their personal security and safety, helping keep them safe while adding another layer of liability reduction for the company. Elements of a successful training program include general traveler safety and security information, conflict avoidance and response, emergency planning, and worst-case scenario procedures.

Should all mitigation efforts prove unsuccessful, and a traveler is involved in a critical incident, a comprehensive safety system helps ensure that they are provided with timely support and realistic options that work to minimize harm and distress, provide critical support, and brings the employee home safely. The ability of the organization’s Crisis Management Team to move quickly to provide support such as personnel accountability, crisis notifications, and the activation of emergency response systems such as medical support and evacuation cannot be overstated.

GLOBAL GUARDIAN SERVICES OVERVIEW
MEMBERSHIP OVERVIEW
Global Guardian utilizes a subscription-based pricing model. Clients pay an annual membership fee to have Global Guardian as their designated travel security and duty-of-care provider and to access its 24-hour Operations Center, team of security advisors and intelligence analysts, global tracking and monitoring platform, network of highly-vetted security providers, and comprehensive suite of security, medical, and aviation services. This subscription also includes all of Global Guardian’s non-custom and basic travel intelligence products and emergency incident notifications.

GLOBAL TRACKING AND MONITORING
Global Guardian tracks and precisely locates clients anywhere in the world. The company uses special purpose cellular and satellite tracking beacons and smartphone applications that provide real-time GPS position information for clients, allowing them to call for immediate assistance in the event of an emergency. Linked to an extensive network of highly skilled in-country security teams, Global Guardian’s 24-hour Operations Center monitors clients as they travel and can direct security assets to respond as needed in real-time. Global Guardian also monitors local and regional current events and provides clients with information about their security and safety situation while they travel.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Global Guardian maintains emergency security response teams in over 91 countries. These teams are notified to the presence of client travelers in their area and stand by to respond immediately to address client emergencies. All support is coordinated and closely directed by Global Guardian’s 24-hour Operations team to ensure rapid and high-quality response to a wide range of potential situations.

INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
Global Guardian provides its clients with detailed travel intelligence products, real-time security alerts, and highly customized intelligence and due diligence products in support of any unique information requirement. Non-customized support and security incident alerts are included in the proposed package.

GLOBAL GUARDIAN AIR AMBULANCE – AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION AND REMOTE MEDICAL SUPPORT
Global Guardian Air Ambulance, a division of Global Guardian, provides its clients with best-in-class air medical transportation
membership programs. These programs provide true no-cost air medical transportation to members who are injured or become ill while traveling. Unlike insurance, members have no deductibles or no claims forms, are not subject to complex restrictions for use and choose their US or Canadian destination hospital.

Global Guardian also provides emergency medical support through board certified, US-based emergency physicians that are available around-the-clock to travelers through the Global Guardian Operations Center. These physicians conduct remote diagnosis and ongoing treatment management of travelers’ injuries or illnesses, and direct patients to vetted local medical facilities as needed.

GLOBAL TRANSPORTATION AND SECURITY SERVICES
Global Guardian offers a full range of personnel-based security support to its clients. Such support includes secure transportation, security agents, full-scale executive protection details, and event and facility security management. All services are fully customizable to meet client need and are closely coordinated by Global Guardian’s 24-hour Operations Center at-all-times.

EMERGENCY AND CUSTOM AVIATION
Global Guardian supports its clients with comprehensive customized aviation capabilities. Be it for emergencies or customized specialty aviation needs, Global Guardian’s aviation team can access a wide range of aircraft operating around the globe to ensure the right assets are available when needed.

PHYSICAL, CYBER SECURITY, COUNTER INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE ASSESSMENTS, POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING
Global Guardian provides detailed physical and cyber security and vulnerability assessments, security and travel safety policy
development, and highly customized training programs for its clients.

Facility assessments are conducted domestically and abroad and are aimed at helping clients identify threats to their employees and operations. Such assessments are often paired with cyber evaluations of client site network security. Following an on-site assessment, Global Guardian prepares comprehensive deliverables detailing its findings and makes recommendations for how best to strengthen the security culture and physical and cyber infrastructure on site. Global Guardian can then assist in implementation of those recommendations.

One of the most common recommendations is the improvement or whole-cloth development of security and travel safety policies in support of a client’s workforce. If requested, Global Guardian’s team will work closely with to determine its objectives in policy work, and craft highly customized products that exactly mirror its requirements and corporate culture.

Lastly, no facility security plan nor safety policy is complete without some measure of training on how that plan and policy are implemented. As with its policy development work, Global Guardian prepares and executes highly customized training programs closely tailored to client objective and culture. Such courses include general travel safety, active shooter preparedness, and policy specific training.

GLOBAL GUARDIAN SENTRY – VIDEO SURVEILLANCE MONITORING
Global Guardian Sentry, a division of Global Guardian provides video monitoring and Virtual Guard services in support of client facilities, operations and residences. Global Guardian’s 24-hour Operations Center is staffed with highly trained surveillance analysts who can assess potential threats and respond in real-time to minimize unauthorized activity at client sites. Specific services include event driven, interactive video monitoring, active threat emergency response monitoring, and virtual guard tours. On request, Global Guardian will conduct no-cost testing of any existing camera systems to ensure compatibility and then provide facility specific service options and pricing.

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Vaccines
Last-minute travel can affect which vaccinations a traveler is given prior to departure. Immunity generally takes two weeks to develop after vaccination, so individuals leaving during that window may not be completely protected from disease. Many travelers will have received standard routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, polio vaccine, varicella vaccine, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine, and seasonal influenza. However, if travelers are not completely up to date, the first or additional doses of these vaccines can be administered.

Certain vaccines that are given in multi-dose series can be protective after a single dose, which can be administered to last-minute travelers. Travelers can then complete the recommended series for these vaccinations upon return. Furthermore, some vaccines can be administered on an accelerated schedule and some series can be started before travel and completed after travel. Extended stay travelers or expatriates should receive guidance on clinics at the destination where their vaccination series can be completed. Bear in mind, however, that some vaccines do not have an accepted accelerated vaccination schedule.

The yellow fever vaccine is required by many countries in certain situations and must be administered at least 10 days before arrival at the destination country. Travelers may have to rearrange travel to accommodate this time frame or risk difficulty entering their destination. Further, travelers to the Hajj must obtain a visa that requires proof of meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days prior and less than three years before arriving in Saudi Arabia.

Food and Water Safety
Under the umbrella of basic health precautions, food and water safety are critically important. To avoid the risk of general foodborne illness, travelers should follow routine food hygiene practices. Ensure that food is properly handled and prepared. Wash raw produce before eating. Despite the cultural allure of many local cuisines, consider avoiding raw meat dishes, undercooked or raw fish and shellfish, and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens. These precautions become even more important in areas where tap water is generally unsafe for consumption. Additionally, even in areas where water is potable, consider drinking bottled or purified water whenever possible, because travelers often develop diarrhea when exposed to the unfamiliar microorganisms in water from a new location.

Insect Precautions
The most common protection against vector-borne diseases is the use of insect repellents, most of which include DEET. Repellent should be applied to the neck, wrists, and ankles, while avoiding contact with the eyes, nose, and mouth. When applied to the skin, these repellents can last from 15 minutes to 10 hours, depending on the climate, the formulation of repellent used, and the effect of the specific repellent on specific vector species. Effects can be longer-lasting when applied to or impregnated into clothing.

Individuals should consider wearing long sleeved, light-colored shirts and pants to protect against mosquitoes, sandflies, and ticks. In tick-infested areas, pant legs should further be tucked into socks and heavy boots when walking through rural or forested areas. Additionally, clothing, bags, and other belongings should be examined thoroughly for ticks before entering the home, and individuals should bathe and conduct a full-body tick check within two hours of returning home, if possible.

Finally, individuals should avoid places and times when vectors are most active. For example, people can stay indoors during peak biting hours, such as dusk-to-dawn for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Individuals can avoid walking in wooded areas with tall grass or underbrush where ticks are found and avoid contact with fresh water where schistosomiasis occurs. If such freshwater contact cannot be avoided, authorities recommend that individuals wear protective boots. Because several vector-borne diseases can be transmitted by contact with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids, individuals in affected areas should practice personal precautions and consider the safety of local blood supplies. Furthermore, in areas where Chagas disease or tick-borne encephalitis are endemic, individuals should avoid potentially contaminated food items.

Travel Health Kit
A medical first aid kit will help with minor injuries and give you a supply of common medications that may be difficult to acquire during travel. Medical kits should be easily accessible. If taking air travel, keep your first aid kit in your carry-on luggage; however, you may need to store sharp components in checked luggage due to security measures. Customize your kit to fit your travel (for example, trekking will pose different needs than visiting a city). Be sure to include supplies such as medications taken on a regular basis, over-the-counter pain relievers, antacids, bandages, antiseptic, cotton swabs, tweezers, scissors, disposable gloves, extra pair of eyeglasses or contacts, saline, sunglasses, thermometer, first aid quick reference card, and addresses and phone numbers of area hospitals or clinics. Additional supplies may be needed for outdoor/adventure travel, traveling with children, or other special cases.

Conclusions
Travelers – particularly those on urgent business – may not have the recommended four to six weeks prior to departure to consult with a travel medicine provider for the best preventative measures. Even with only a short window before leaving, travelers should seek advice from a travel medicine specialist. Travel medicine providers can brief the traveler about risks in the country and possible medications, vaccinations, and other precautions to take while abroad. Prior to departure, expatriates or those on extended-stay should consult medical providers for advice about equivalent medical care. Additionally, basic health precautions, insect precautions, food and water safety, and carrying a travel kit can help protect any traveler from health risks and are even more important for last-minute travelers.

What Really Matters
The most important factors in an airline’s safety standards go well beyond the airline’s safety record. An airline with strong safety standards should have a management team composed of experienced airline industry professionals. A safe airline needs to have a strong safety culture – the idea that safety comes before everything else, including profits and customer service. Safe airlines avoid risks. Aviation is one of the most risk-averse industries out there, and that’s a big reason why it’s also one of the safest. Finally, a safe airline needs to follow the rules. Aviation is a very by-the-book industry. There are rules for everything, and those rules often in place because of lessons learned in past accidents.

Evaluating an airline based on these factors requires dive deep into an airline’s operations to see how the airline performs on these issues, and most travelers don’t have the time or expertise to perform that deep dive. Fortunately, travelers aren’t the only ones who are interested in an airline’s safety. Governments, industry groups, and other international organizations regularly assess airlines’ safety standards; their findings can offer travelers a quick and easy understanding of whether their airline meets appropriate safety standards.

The Tools
There are six freely-available tools that travelers can quickly use to evaluate an airline’s operational and safety standards. Three of these tools are based on direct audits of the airline, while three are based on evaluations of the government that certifies and oversees the airline.

In order to fully understand these tools, a traveler should understand the importance of a civil aviation authority (CAA), the government body responsible for regulating all the airlines registered in its country. An example of a CAA is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US. An effective CAA will set appropriate operational and safety standards for airlines under its jurisdiction, will have the capacity to inspect airlines and ensure they follow those standards, and will have the authority to ensure that airlines that do not meet the standards are not allowed to operate.

Not all CAAs are created equal. Some do a very good job, but others have major shortcomings. Travelers looking at an airline regulated by effective CAAs can have high confidence that the airline has appropriate safety standards, because the CAA won’t allow them to operate if they don’t have those. An airline from a country with an inadequate CAA can still have good safety standards; the airline just has to self-regulate, because the CAA isn’t going to do it. In those countries, travelers cannot assume that an airline has appropriate safety standards, because the CAA may let airlines with inadequate safety standards operate. Travelers therefore need more evidence that the airline’s safety standards are up to par.

Travelers can use three publicly-available tools to evaluate a country’s CAA: The International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA), the List of Carriers Banned within the European Union, and the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP).

If a traveler still isn’t satisfied after evaluating the CAA that oversees an airline, the traveler can also look at the airline’s international certifications that are based on direct audits of the airline. The three audit-based tools are the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the EU Third Country Operator (TCO) program, and an airline’s alliances and codeshares. Travelers should note, however, that these programs are voluntary, so a lack of such certifications is not necessarily a negative indicator for an airline’s operational and safety standards.

International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA)
The IASA program run by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) assesses whether the CAA in a country meets international standards; Category 1 is a pass, Category 2 is a fail. The IASA is updated continuously based on direct FAA audits of CAAs, and carries regulatory implications. Airlines from Category 1 countries can start new service to the US and new codeshares with US carriers, while airlines from Category 2 countries cannot, although they can continue existing services or to the US or codeshares with US carriers. The biggest problem with IASA is that is only lists countries with flights to the US or codeshares with US carriers, so there are numerous countries not listed in IASA. That doesn’t mean those countries have good or bad CAAs, it just means travelers need to look elsewhere for that information.

List of Carriers Banned within the European Union
The EU ban list is a frequently misunderstood tool. A lot of media sources refer to this as the “EU Airline Blacklist” and suggest that every airline on the list is there because the EU found major safety flaws with the carrier, but this perception is inaccurate. Instead of auditing airlines, the EU audits CAAs, and then bans all airlines from a country whose CAA fails the audit. There are a few airlines that are banned outside of those country-wide bans, but those are rare. An airline that gets caught up in a countrywide ban isn’t necessarily unsafe – it just means they don’t have an effective CAA overseeing and certifying their operations. Airlines from countries with blanket bans can request exemptions from the list, in which case the EU will perform a direct audit of the airline and will exempt it if the airline passes; an exemption is therefore a very positive indicator for an airline’s safety standards.

Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP)
The USOAP program is run by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s civil aviation arm. This program audits every CAA in the world and provides a breakdown of how each CAA scored in different categories of the audit. If a country performs particularly poorly in a safety-critical area, that country gets a red flag that designates them as a Significant Safety Concern. Unfortunately, the audits aren’t very frequent, and some of the data on the USOAP website is up to 10 years old.

IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)
The IOSA program is run by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the main global trade group for airlines. IOSA is a comprehensive audit program that airlines must pass in order to become IATA members. The program is based on direct audits of the airline, covers airlines around the world, and has been proven effective at ensuring strong operational and safety standards. Depending on the year, the accident rate for IOSA-certified carriers is usually about one-third that of non-IOSA carriers. Travelers should note that IATA gives such out two-letter IATA codes regardless of whether an airline is an IATA member; just because an airline has an IATA code does not necessarily mean that they’re an IATA member who has passed an IOSA audit.

EU Third Country Operator (TCO)
The TCO program is run by the EU’s European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). For non-EU airlines to operate flights to EU destinations, they have to pass an EASA audit and receive this TCO authorization. Like IOSA, TCO authorization is based on a direct audit of an airline’s operations. The thoroughness of the audit depends on EASA’s confidence in the CAA of the airline’s home country. If EASA has confidence in the CAA, they may only do a quick review, but if they don’t have confidence they do a much more thorough audit.

Alliances and Codeshares
Membership in one of the big three airline alliances – oneworld, SkyTeam, or Star Alliance – is a very positive indicator for an airline’s safety standards, as the alliances put prospective members through safety audits. Codeshare agreements with major carriers are also a positive, as they show the major carrier trusts the other carrier’s safety standards enough to let their paying passengers fly on that carrier.

Conclusion

Air safety is the safest form of transportation available. In many operating environments, flying on an airline with inadequate safety standards is still the safest option for intercity transportation. However, travelers who put in the effort to seek out safer air travel options will reduce their chances of becoming victims of an aircraft accident, and the tools discussed above are a good way to start that effort.

If checking those six tools is still too much work, check out WorldAware’s Worldcue Airline Monitor, in which WorldAware’s analysts use 14 criteria to evaluate an airline’s safety and give it a Preferred or Not Preferred rating.

About WorldAware
WorldAware provides intelligence-driven, integrated risk management solutions that enable multinational organizations to operate globally with confidence. WorldAware’s end-to-end tailored solutions integrated world-class threat intelligence, innovative technology, and response services to help organizations mitigate risk and protect their employees, assets, and reputation.

So, what is a spoofed website? In this scheme, a fraudster creates a fake website and/or email domain that looks legitimate, often copying a real website using logos, images and even the layout/content of the site. This phishing tactic usually asks the visitor to enter log-in credentials or personal details in an attempt to collect information used for identity theft. This tactic can also be used for other fraudulent activity. In the case reported by ARC, the fraudster used the fake website to appear legitimate to hotels and book stays using compromised credit cards.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to spot a spoofed website, but there are a few signs to be weary of. First, check the web address. A spoofed website usually contains a misspelled word, extra punctuation or is excessively long. You should not only check for these signs in a web browser, but also any text linked to hyperlinks—hover over hyperlinked text to see the full URL before clicking. Another sign of a spoofed website is pop-ups. Sometimes spoofers direct victims to legitimate sites and use a pop-up window to collect personal information. Always use the website you are familiar with, have used previously without issues and have bookmarked. Don’t rely on a Google search. Review any results returned by searches and compare the URLs.

Now that you know how to spot a spoofed site, here are some tips to protect yourself if you feel like you may have landed on one:

• If you think you have found yourself on a spoofed site, scan the page for a Trust Seal. Many authentic sites use these badges issued by third-party security companies to show the site is verified, secure and safe. Please keep in mind that not every secure and authentic website, including Travel and Transport’s, marks their site with any type of “Trust Seal.” This is just one indicator of authenticity.
• Check the address bar for more details on the site. Oftentimes the company name is shown alongside the URL in the address bar. Another item to look for is a lock showing the site is secure as well as “https” in the URL. This is a good first step, but not always a complete indicator of a “trusted site.” HTTPS certificates are relatively easy for an advanced hacker to obtain.
• Anti-phishing software is another way to arm yourself against scammers. Many browsers have add-ons or plug-ins to help detect phishing sites. You can also utilize the site whois.com to determine when the website was created. This site helps determine if your own site has been spoofed.
• If you are unsure if you are on a spoofed website asking for login information, give a fake password. If you use a fake password and appear to be logged in, you are most likely on a spoofed site. If you’re fake password is rejected, you should still be leery and take some of the other precautions mentioned in this list.
• When in doubt, contact the company directly to verify the website.
• Lastly, if you think you have fallen victim to a phishing site, immediately contact your IT team and report the site to the local police.

With processes becoming more and more automated through digital and web processes, it is important to take a comprehensive look at risk management to include crime and corruption that takes place on the web. As Travel and Transport’s Chief Technology Officer, Tim Krueger, puts it, “In today’s world of an ever changing and increasing threat landscape, user awareness and training are essential elements to any modern security program. Individual diligence in identifying and avoiding potential scams and threats is often the first and last line of defense.” We hope you never have to use these tips, but keep them in your back pocket in case you ever happen upon a fraudster.

Sources:
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-says-web-spoofing-scams-are-a-growing-problem
https://www.globalsign.com/en/blog/how-to-spot-a-fake-website/
https://www2.arccorp.com/support-training/fraud-prevention/fraud-alerts/fa01262018/
https://safety.yahoo.com/Security/PHISHING-SITE.html

Often times, employers tend to focus solely on their duty of care obligations to their employees domestically.  Employers, however, would be remiss not to focus on their duty of care to their employees abroad.  The bottom line is that employers need to be familiar with and sufficiently address the issues facing their workers who travel and/or perform work abroad.  Understanding the legal obligations and preventing the risks associated with employee foreign travel and work assignments is imperative for employers, exclusive of size and industry.

Workplace health and safety is a paramount concern in the United States, as evidenced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act of 1970 (“OSHA”) and workers’ compensation laws.  OSHA establishes the primary standards for workplace health and safety and a general duty of care.  OSHA’s main focus is on preventing workplace injuries by imposing obligations upon employers to maintain a safe work environment.  On the other hand, workers’ compensation laws impose responsibilities on an employer to financially compensate an employee who actually suffers an injury or occupational disease in the course of employment.  Although costly and constantly evolving, OSHA and the workers’ compensation system at least provide some level of certainty to an employer regarding its financial and legal responsibilities when an employee is injured, contracts an illness, or dies on the job.

Once a United States employee steps outside of the United States borders, however, employers find themselves outside the confines of these commonly understood and applied protections and laws.  The result is that an employer finds itself subject to a negligence claim with virtually no level of certainty with respect to liability and damages.

The recent increased emphasis on the duty of care and the idea that an employer is responsible for the health, safety, security, and well-being of its globally mobile employees has proved to a daunting and scary concept for employers to comprehend.  To mitigate risks and provide some level of certainty, employers should strive to understand its legal obligations and to mitigate its liability risk through a travel risk management plan that involves assessing company-specific risks and developing policies and procedures, communicating to and training of employees, and documenting and analyzing incidents.

To learn more about employer best practices and drafting a travel risk management plan, please see the following article entitled “Legal Perspective on the Health, Safety & Security Responsibilities for US Mobile Workforce,” which can be found here.  The article was published in partnership with the International SOS Foundation and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

If you have gone through airport security recently, you’ve probably seen these signs posted:Phase 4 of the Real ID act goes into full effect on January 22, 2018, requiring that travelers present a Real ID compliant form of identification when boarding domestic flights. At this point, the majority of state IDs and drivers licenses are compliant or have received extensions from the federal government. If your ID is from those states then you’ll have nothing to worry about in January. There are some states, however, that are not yet compliant. If your state is on that list, you might want to start thinking about getting a passport or another form of Real ID compliant identification now.

Here’s the timeline:

January 22, 2018

Residents of some states will be required to have a valid passport or other form of Real ID compliant identification to board a domestic flight unless their state becomes compliant and issues new IDs first.  This information changes often, so please refer to the Department of Homeland Security’s Real ID Enforcement page for the most up-to-date information on state compliance.

October 1, 2020

Residents of ALL US states and territories – whether they’ve received an extension or not – will be required to have a Real ID-compliant license.

What is the Real ID Act?

You may or may not have heard of the Real ID Act. Congress passed it back in 2005 per the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and this is what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security tells us it’s all about:

• It “establishes minimum standards for the production and issuance of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and authorizes grants to assist states in implementing the requirements.”
• It “prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for official uses driver’s licenses and identity cards from states unless the Department of Homeland Security determines that the state meets the standards. Official uses are defined as accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding federally-regulated commercial aircraft.”

Many of the initial phases, which require Real ID approved identification to access secured federal facilities and military bases, have already gone into effect. The final phase of this initiative, phase 4, is underway now. It says that “a driver’s license or identification card from a non-compliant state may only be used in conjunction with a second compliant form of ID for boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.”

Additional Resources

Here are some additional links with more information on the Real ID Act and how it will be enforced:

DHS: Real ID Enforcement in brief

DHS: REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions for the public

DHS: Real ID and you; Rumor Control

TSA: Real ID Fact Sheet

This article was originally published by Travel & Transport on October 12, 2017. To view the original article, click here.

This may seem obvious, but when you leave your home country you’re subject to the laws and regulations of the country you’re visiting – from the moment you enter the front door. A security concern that not everyone thinks about can occur at border crossings. Depending on where you are traveling to, electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets and digital cameras may be subject to official government review as well as, in some cases, duplication of your hard drives and other storage media. Privacy concerns don’t end at the border, however. Depending on what country you’re in you may also expose your devices to viruses, activity tracking and other software simply by being in the country and connecting to its networks.

We talk a lot about data security for travelers on this site and all of that information should apply here as well. Check out a few of them here:

• 6 ways to protect yourself against data breach
• So what the heck’s a chip card anyway?
• Don’t throw away that old boarding pass! Here’s why.

While there’s no specific list (at least that we could find) of countries that can take a look at and potentially snoop, seize or copy data from your devices, there are reports that it can and does happen all over the world.

Whether you’re entering a country by air or traveling between countries by car, boat, train, foot, skis (in the unlikely event that James Bond is reading this), hoverboard (in the less likely event that a 12 year-old is reading this), winged horse, TARDIS, trained dolphin team or Uber, it’s a good idea to take some steps before you arrive to ensure that your personal and corporate data is protected from the minute you arrive to the minute you leave. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Encrypt
Encrypt the information on your laptop to ensure that your data remains hidden to unauthorized access. Both Microsoft and Apple offer tools to accomplish this. Just don’t forget your password! You might already have this activated if you use a company device. If so, be sure to check with your IT or corporate security department to get more information before traveling internationally.

Back up
Did you spend your flight crafting the perfect presentation? Make sure you’re able back it up to the cloud while in the air or as soon as you land – just in case your laptop is seized and searched. How about all those photos on your smartphone? Have you backed those up? There are services like Apple iCloud and Google Photos that make it easy. Run that backup before you leave home and again in every country you visit – but then pay attention to the next section!

Sign out
Clear your browser history and delete cookies from your web browsers that may still be signed into email, social media sites, etc.

Sign out of apps on your smartphone and tablet that might contain personally identifiable or sensitive information. This might include social media apps, email apps, notes apps like Evernote and Notes, storage sites like Google Drive and Dropbox, calendars and more. You might just delete the apps altogether. You can get them back when you return.

Do you have a fingerprint reader on your device? Temporarily disable that or reboot your phone prior to arriving at the border so that a password/PIN is required. Here’s how to disable Touch ID on the iPhone or iPad.

Consider alternate devices
If you can manage, don’t take your brand new expensive Macbook or Surface Pro tablet along with you on the trip. Bring along a cheaper device instead such as a low cost Windows laptop or a Chromebook that won’t make you shed tears if it disappears. Make sure it’s new or has been wiped (erased and reloaded like new) before you go. That will limit exposure to to only the time period with which you’re traveling.

The same thing goes for your phone. Do you have an old phone you can take along rather than your primary device? Maybe go old school and consider a “dumb phone” for your trip – just pretend that it’s 2006 again! Yeah, I know that’s no fun and could be terribly inconvenient. It’s just something to consider depending on where you’re traveling.

If you’re carrying corporate devices, keep the number of your travel department, corporate security, or IT department handy (and not on your phone) so that devices can be remotely locked or even wiped should they be taken and accessed by government officials – or anyone else for that matter.

Whatever devices you bring, be sure they have the latest updates and security patches installed. When you return home, have your devices wiped and reset to ensure that no viruses or otherwise nefarious software has been installed.

This article was originally published by Travel & Transport. The original article can be read here.