Overview and Timeline regarding efforts on Human Trafficking:

Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) has led global airline industry awareness for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) since 2009 and has developed the first industry specific training. AAI provides for vulnerable communities by leveraging partnerships with the airline industry and is comprised of over 16,000 airline employees who “travel to make a difference”.

AAI is the only organization conducting live Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Training at airports. As of January 2018, AAI has conducted 91 C-TIP Events that now link over 7,000 front line air transport professionals with law enforcement. As each flight attendant interacts with a minimum of

500 passengers per week for hours at a time, AAI C-TIP trainees are capable of monitoring over 168,000,000 passengers per year! If all 200,000 Members from the U.S. based Association of Professional Flight Attendants alone were trained, they can effectively monitor over 5.2 billion passengers. According to ICAO 3.7 billion passengers flew in 2016.

First there was two Congressional Briefings, and when airlines did not respond, AAI began providing our Counter-Trafficking In Persons (C-TIP) Program in Airports. Here is the timeline:

2010 July – Washington DC, AAI Congressional Briefing to Airlines with Congressman Chris Smith

2010 October – Washington DC, AAI Congressional Briefing to Embassies with Congressman Joe Pitts

 AAI Training and Presentations

1. 2011 Jan. – DFW, Traffic 911, APFA, AFA, PNH Haiti, Pre-Super Bowl Training
2. 2011 Jan. – Miami, PNH Haiti, U.S. Southern Command TIP Presentation

1. 2011 May – IAD, Governor McConnell and IAD signing of VA Trafficking Bills and Training
2. 2011 June – Washington DC, Testimony House Committee on Foreign Affairs
3. 2011 Sept. – Sacramento – ITMI (International Tourism and Management Intl) Training
4. 2012 Nov. – Honolulu, HNL Training
5. 2012 Jan. – SFO, with Congresswoman Jackie Spears, Training
6. 2012 March – DCA, with Rep. Chris Smith and Joe Pitts, Training
7. 2012 Apr. – SFO ITMI International Tourism and Management HQ, Staff Training
8. 2012 Sept. – Indianapolis, Travelers Aid International Conference Training
9. 2013 Jan – MSY, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport Training
10. 2013 May – Washington DC, Embassy of Ukraine, Presentation with Ambassador Motsyk, Rep. Smith -Presentation
11. 2013 June – Kiev, Ukraine, Ministry of Infrastructure at OSCE with Rep. Smith, Training
12. 2013 Oct. – Interpol, Human Trafficking Conference in Lyon, Presentation
13. 2013 Sept – ASIS, Chicago, Security Conference presentation with DHS Presentation
14. 2014 Jan. – Washington DC, Testimony, House Committee on Foreign Affairs Testimony
15. 2014 Jan. – SJC, San Jose, California with Congressman Honda, Training
16. 2014 April – 2014 Oakland, California with Congresswoman Barbara Bell, Training
17. 2014 April – Washington DC, AAI Members, ECPAT Signing (1st NGO to sign ECPAT Code)
18. 2014 April – Washington DC at United Nations Foundation Train the Trainers Session Training
19. 2014 June  – London, DISPAX Conference Training
20. 2014 June – Humanitarian Summit Presentation, United Nations, NY
21. 2014 Sept. – SAC, Sacramento International Airport Authority Training
22. 2014  Feb. – PHX, Phoenix, AZ pre-Super Bowl Training
23. 2014 Aug – Tampa, FL, TPA with Innocents at Risk Training
24. 2014 Oct. – Chicago, ORD, Safe Conference Training
25.  2014 Dec. – Alexandria VA, Spectrum Group staff, TIP Awareness in Airline Industry  Presentation
26. 2015 Jan. – MSP, Airport Police Minneapolis International Airport Group 1 Training
27. 2015 Jan. – MSP, Airport Police Minneapolis International Airport Group 2 Training
28. 2015 Feb. – ORD, Chicago O’Hare Intl. Airport, Dept. of Aviation Chicago, Group 1 Training
29. 2015 Feb. –  ORD, Chicago O’Hare Intl. Airport, Dept. of Aviation Chicago, Group 2 Training
30. 2015 Apr. – Las Vegas Association of Flight Attendants Board of Directors Training
31. 2015 April – Las Vegas, NV, Train the Trainers at LAS Training

33. 2015 June – EWR, Newark International Airport, Association of Flight Attendants Training
34. 2015 July – DFW, Dallas Ft. Worth Airport, Association of Professional Flight Attendants Training
35. 2015 Oct. – Budapest, Hungary with Government of Hungary Training 
36. 2015 Oct. – Budapest, Hungary with Government of Hungary Training
37. 2016 Jan. – San Francisco International Airport Training pre-Super Bowl Training
38. 2016 Jan. – San Francisco International Airport pre-Super Bowl Training
39. 2016 Jan. – San Jose Norman Minetta International Airport pre-Super Bowl Training
40. 2016 Jan. – San Jose Norman Minetta International Airport pre-Super Bowl Training
41. 2016 Jan. – Oakland International Airport, pre-Super Bowl Training
42. 2016 Feb. – Dulles Airport Managers, Training
43. 2016 April – Dutch Government, Amsterdam Schipol Airport, KLM and Airport Presentation
44. 2016 May – Dallas, Regional Airlines Association Annual Conference, Presentation
45. 2016 June – Riga Latvia, AVSEC Conference on In Flight Emergency Response Training
46. 2016 Aug 24 – Bogota, Colombia International Airport, Ministry of Interior and UNODC Training
47. 2016 Aug. 30 – Las Vegas International Airport Training
48. 2016 Aug. 31 – San Diego International Airport Training
49. 2016 Oct. 2 – DFW, Critical Incidence Response Team, American Airlines Training
50. 2016 Oct. 14 – Dulles International Airport Training
51. 2016 Sept. 21 – University of District of Colombia Training
52. 2016 Oct. 25 – Houston International Airport with Rep. Lee’s Commendation Award and Training
53. 2016 Nov. 1 – Dallas, American Airlines Training Staff, AA Flagship University Training
54. 2016 Dec. 2 – Jamaica, Kingston, Shamere McKenzie Training
55. 2017 Jan. 26 – Houston, Hobby Airport Pre Super Bowl, Trainers Accreditation Seminar Training
56. 2017 Jan. 27 – City Council Nassau Bay – Pre-Super Bowl Training Training
57. 2017 May 3 – Jackson-Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport GA Training
58. 2017 May 18 – Anchorage, Ted Stevens International Airport Training
59. 2017 May 23 – Vienna Academie Diplomatique UNODC Presentation
60. 2017 May 25 – Vienna, Side Event for Commission on the Prevention of Crime, Presentation
61. 2017 June 7 – Dallas, National Conference Traveler’s Aid – Presentation
62. 2017 June 15 – Kingston International Airport Training
63. 2017 June 15 – Kingston International Airport Training
64. 2017 June 16 – Montego Bay International Airport Training
65. 2017 June 17 – Ocho Rios International Airport Training
66. 2017 July 10 – Testimony Senate working Group, Force Multipliers, Air Transport Industry
67. 2017 July 21 – Cartagena Airport, Colombia – Law Enforcement Training
68. 2017 July 21 – Cartagena Airport, Colombia – Airport personnel Training
69. 2017 Aug. 14 – Manila International Airport – AirAsia personnel Training
70. 2017 Aug 15 – Kuala Lumpur International Airport – AirAsia personnel Training
71. 2017 Aug 16 – Jakarta International Airport – AirAsia personnel Training
72. 2017 Aug. 18 – Bangkok Intl. Airport – Air Asia personnel Training
73. 2017 Sept. – Vienna UNODC Global MOU to jointly conduct TIP  – Presentation
74. 2017 Sept. – Vienna AAI Roundtable, Role of Aviation, IATA, DOS, UNODC
75. 2017 Sept. – Dubai, Emirates AVSEC Presentation
76. 2017 Oct. – Singapore, ICAO Presentation
77. 2017 Oct. – Tirana, Albania, INTERPOL Presentation
78. 2017 Nov. 27 – McLean, VA., Madeira School Training
79. 2017 Nov. – Washington DC, United Nations Association Presentation and Awards ceremony
80. 2017 Nov. – Doha, 2017 INTERPOL Presentation
81. 2018 Jan. 23 – Minneapolis International Airport pre-Super Bowl Training
82. 2018 Jan. 30 – Mc Carran Las Vegas International Airport Training
83. 2018 Feb. 21 – Charlotte International Airport Training
84. 2018 Apr. 18 – Haneda Tokyo Airport Training
85. 2018 May 7 – Washington, DC, Testimony to Helsinki Commission  – Presentation
86. 2018 – May 9 – Miami, Presentation to the Aviation Festival
87. 2018 May 15 – San Salvador, El Salvador – Hospitality Sector Training
88. 2018 May 16 – Guatemala City, Uber Drivers Training
89. 2018 May 17 – Antigua, Guatemala, Hospitality Sector and Uber Training
90. 2018 May 20 – Geneva, Release of ICAO Guidelines, U.N High Commission on Human Rights, Presentation
91. 2018 Jun 25 – Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Training
92. 2018 July 10 – Presentation to AA Regional Airlines
93. 2018 Aug. 22 – Icelandic Air Training for Trainers – Training Full Day
94. 2018 Aug. 27 0 AAAE training for Chicago Dept of Aviation Training – Training Full Day
95. 2018 Aug 29 – Singapore Asia Pacific Aviation Training Symposium – Presentation
96. 2018 Sept 6 – Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Cabin Safety workshop Presentation
97. 2018 Sept 18 – Philadelphia International Airport – am Training
98. 2018 Sept 18 – Philadelphia International Airport – pm Training
99. 2018 Oct. 28 – Qatar Airways Conference – Presentation
100. 2018 Nov. 7 – European Airline Training Symposium – Presentation
101. 2018 Nov. 9 – UN Practical Solutions to eradicating Human Trafficking – Presentation
102. 2018 Dec. 18 – AAAE training for Chicago Dept of Aviation (Training – Full Day)
103.  2019 Jan 18 Las Vegas McCarran Airport am Training
104. 2019 Jan 18 Las Vegas McCarran Airport pm Training 
105. 2019 Jan 29 Atlanta End Human Trafficking Summit – 5 Presentations
106. 2019 Feb. 13 Charlotte Airport all day training with AAAE Training 
107. 2019 Mar.7 – Bucharest, Romania training for US Embassy Training 
108. 2019 Mar. 8 Bucharest Romania – training for US Embassy Training

Saber Rock, Nancy Rivard and Congressman Chris Smith who opened the Briefing.

Testimony to the Helsinki Commission May 7, 2018

Fighting Human Trafficking in Travel and Tourism – New Challenges and Solutions”

Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) is a non-profit organization made up of members in the airline industry, which has led advocacy on human trafficking awareness since correctly identifying trafficking on four flights in 2009. We developed the first “industry specific” training which has been provided to 6,000 frontline personnel at 70 airports in the U.S. and around the world. Our work will be highlighted at the release of the new ICAO Guidelines in Geneva and at the IATA Cabin Safety meeting in Bangkok this month.

Because the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016 made it mandatory for U.S. airlines to train flight attendants, most airlines are utilizing the Blue Campaign’s excellent on line training materials. Delta is still out front – in 2018 they launched an enhanced training tailored for Delta’s 54,000 employees, initiated an apprentice program for trafficking survivors, hosted events to motivate employees, an event for Atlanta based CEO’s and launched a test with new airport signage.  This year American Airlines joined Delta and signed the ECPAT Code of Conduct. JetBlue is also committed and was highlighted at the IATA General Meeting last May.

International airlines are jumping on board too. Air Asia and Air Emirates launched initiatives last year and AeroMexico and Copa have joined the international fight by joining the UNODC Blue Heart Campaign.

There are successes:

Airline Ambassadors provided training in Sacramento airport which is proactive for awareness. In February this year, Sacramento AA Agent, Denice Miracle, noticed two girls, aged 15 and 17 who were traveling on a one-way ticket to do some modeling for a man they had met on Instagram. They had told their parents they were spending the night at each other’s houses, Her alertness and critical thinking saved those two girls.

Congress can help by strengthening the laws to encourage airlines to provide training to all employee groups, (including agents, pilots and more). Funding should be increased so the Blue Campaign to provide live trainings to training staff of the 33 major airlines in the U.S. The on line trainings are very good, but many employees to not pay close attention and is often not even mentioned in annual recurrent trainings. Some employees still are not taking the issue seriously.

Here are three examples:

1. Last March on a flight from Rome to Chicago all 8 flight attendants were sure that a 50 year old American man was trafficking a 7 year old Albanian girl, they reported it to the pilots (even pointing to the manual where the pilots should radio to alert the upcoming airport),  but the pilots refused saying that they didn’t want to get the man in a lot of trouble. “This has never been mentioned in pilot training, and we are not going to take the chance.”
2. Agents in Houston heard that we provided an airport training and said “When is someone going to train us? We see potential trafficking every day!”
3. I visited airline operations and asked what action they would take if a pilot radioed in a suspected human trafficking cases. They answered “No action – human trafficking is not a threat to aircraft security.” They also need to be trained.

Funding should specify that Train the Trainers (for training staff) should include actual trafficking survivors, to make the issue real, motivating trainers to emphasize this during annual recurrent training.

Airports – also play a key role in awareness:

We helped Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Francisco Airports to implement a training video for all badged employees. Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis and Sacramento have also been proactive.   The DHS Ad campaign is in most Customs areas and A21 signage is in Chicago and New York airports. 1000 “Tips” have been submitted through Airline Ambassadors Tip Line App that is given to our airport trainees. We are saving lives.

However, many airports have not been receptive to offers of training like Los Angeles and Miami. They have said live training is not needed, and there are no resources to support it.

But we know training IS needed. Donna Hubbard, noticed a woman crying outside the bathroom at MIA Airport. She stopped to talk – and the girl said that a man she had met at a bar the night before bought her a ticket on the flight to New York, but she didn’t want to go to New York….she wanted to go home to her mother. Donna contacted the airport police, who intimidated the girl until she said nothing was wrong. It was Donna, a human trafficking survivor herself, who helped intervene and did get the girl back to her mother.

The Human Trafficking Investigations and Trafficking Institute has one of the best trainings out there for law enforcement, but most airports or police departments are reluctant to invest their limited training funds in human trafficking awareness training because it is not mandatory at the state level. Officers continue to treat victims as suspects, not a victim centered approach. Training resources need to be increased for training of travel industry personnel and law enforcement, as coordination is critical to end modern day slavery.

Motivating the Private Sector

Although the private sector is critical in this fight, most airlines truly do not understand the importance of human trafficking awareness and hesitant to integrate new actions into their corporate cultures.   They are nervous that vigilante flight attendants will make false accusations and cause a lawsuit and no real motivation to ensure proper training for employees, eliminate trafficking in the supply chain or adopt policies to provide job opportunities for victims. We sent a letter to the CEO’s of 24 airlines and hospitality companies to requesting their openness to hiring survivors of human trafficking – only the American Bus Association responded!

Support is needed to mobilize private sector partners. It was the Caux Roundtable Japan who encouraged All Nippon Airlines to host our presentation in Tokyo last month. If the U.S. joins the international UNODC Blue Heart Campaign, along with 18 other nations, with actress Mira Sorvino at the Goodwill Ambassador, it would encourage airlines, transportation and hospitality companies in the direction of social responsibility.

The critical infrastructure of our transportation system can no longer be used as a tool to implement human trafficking, or modern day slavery. This is also the fastest growing crime in the world. It is linked to drug trafficking, human smuggling, arms trafficking and terrorism, also a cabin safety issue.

In the words of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the largest flight attendant union in the U.S.:

“We are committed not only to preparing our membership to recognize and report suspected instances of human trafficking, but also to raise public awareness of the problem…putting an end to human trafficking will require a coordinated effort and commitment of the entire transportation industry.”

Margaret Whitehead, Director of Airline Ambassadors Children’s Medical Escort Program was honored at the 9th Annual  Childspring Gala at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta on March 25th. She had no idea that she was going to be recognized when hosts surprised her and with the impressive “Dr. David Watson Global Service Award”.

“I was just overwhelmed – had no idea I would ever receive anything like this. It was truly the most impressive event I have ever attended and was so much fun to be with Wayne.”  Margaret attended with Wayne Lee, one of her coordinators, and who has arranged several of Childspring’ trips.

Margaret has directed this Airline Ambassadors program for 20 years to help children from other countries, often very poor, come to the U.S. for donated lifesaving medical care.  Her team coordinates for off duty airline employees to travel with these children to the U.S. and back again. She works with Wayne Lee, Joanne Striker, Connie Lowry and Clarie Krinsky who also all volunteer their time making a huge difference on these life-changing journeys.

Julie Anne Photography, LLC

Childspring International provides life-changing surgeries for children from developing countries, and as a result, transforms communities.

To date, Childspring International has provided medical care for more than 2,700 children who are living in developing countries.

At Airline Ambassadors we challenge members to bring kindness into action in their own communities and around the world.

(WTWTC) CHRISTMAS ANGELS 2016             

Greetings 

CHRISTMAS ANGELS PARTY DECEMBER 17, 11AM – 3PM  

CHRISTMAS ANGELS 2016  

Because of the MidSummer Celebrations only THREE of the orphans were at the Orphanage Vita at Kalnciema 131 in Riga  we arrived on June 22, but the orphanage gratefully accepted the 35 colorful shirts to give to the other children upon return.  Thank you so much to Angels of Hope!!!

Paul, Nikita, orphans from the Ukraine only spoke Russian, and Melissa was Latvian but spoke some English.  All agreed to write  letters to new friends in the United States…..sending them to children associated with Women at the Well Transition Center in Atlanta.  See below their letters :

Hi Amari,

My name is Melissa and I live in Latvia.  I have crazy hair color – it is blue!  I speak three languages – Latvian, Russian and English.  I am 14 years old and want to be a friend to you!  

Hi Bobby,

My name is Nikita and I live in Latvia.  I am 12 years old and I like food, futbol, singing and school.   When I grow up I want to ride motorcycles and make fireworks! 

Hello Andrew,

I want to meet you.  I am Russian and want to talk in English when you and I meet in America.  When I grow up I want to drive a bus.  My name is Paul and I am 13 years old. I live in Riga Latvia and have six siblings – three brothers – three sisters and mom and grandfather.  Everyone else is at the beach in Juraaler and I have one prother in Finland   

Kudos to U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Amy Klobuchar as well as U.S. Representatives Dina Titus and Barbara Comstock.

As part of the FAA Re-Authorization Act this year, both the US House and Senate have acknowledged the important role of front line airline employees (such as flight attendants) to combat the fight against human trafficking.

Stop Trafficking on Planes         STOP Act of 2016 

Board member, Sandy Dhuyvetter, presented AAI initiatives on child protection at the World Tourism meeting in Berlin this month. See article below:

Private sector committed to fight child exploitation in tourism 

The 31^st Meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection, held on the occasion of ITB Berlin, focused on the role and initiatives of the private sector to fight Child Exploitation in tourism. Awareness raising, training of staff and the implementation of measures along the whole value chain of tourism were pointed out as critical.

“We need to unite to fight child exploitation and the commitment of the private sector is key” said UNWTO Secretary-General opening the meeting.

Carol Bellamy, Chair of the Network, recalled the role of the Network as a platform to share research and good practices in the fight against the exploitation of children in tourism.

At the meeting, the Chair of the High Level Global Task Force to End Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism, Najat Maalla M’jid, shared the first findings of the Global Study carried out by the Task Force. Lack of reporting, weak legislation and the anonymity of the Internet were pointed out as some of the main challenges in child protection from sexual exploitation in the sector. The report aims to also address the chronic lack of robust evidence and comparable data on this issue.

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) stressed the importance of providing training to the staff on how to identify possible situation of child exploitation as well as dealing with new emerging trends in the sector such as ‘voluntourism’ while the TUI Group shared their initiative ‘A collective NO to sexual exploitation of children in holiday destinations initiatives to promote the inclusion of measures to prevent and fight the exploitation of children within the whole tourism value chain including actions on training, awareness raising among host communities
Other initiatives presented included a project from the Network of Strategic and International Studies which evaluates best practices from around the world and work of the Airline Ambassadors International which focus on training airline professionals to flight human trafficking.

The World Tourism Network on Child Protection is an open-ended network facilitated by UNWTO featuring the multi-stakeholder participation of a range of tourism stakeholders – governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), tourism industry groups and media associations. Its mandate is to prevent all forms of youth exploitation in the tourism sector (i.e. sexual exploitation, child labour and child trafficking). The Network’s meetings, held annually at the worlds’ foremost Travel and Tourism Fairs, serve as a platform to exchange experiences and best practices, present awareness-raising materials and capacity building tools, and promote the adoption of professional codes of conduct or other responsible practices in line with the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.”

AAI is the proud recipient of grant funding from 3 Strands Global and is planning trainings in Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, Latvia, Amsterdam and Bogota coming up this year.  Stay posted!

Captain Al Haynes- Pilot of United Airlines flight 232, a DC-10 that experienced catastrophic hydraulic failure in 1989, resulting in a crash landing in Sioux City, Iowa. Due to his heroic actions and composed communication skills, 185 of the 296 passengers and all but one crew member survived the accident. Captain Haynes was instrumental in designing many of the training procedures that are in use at airlines today. See this Link

Flight Attendant Doreen Welsh – Survivor of Miracle on the Hudson. Doreen was part of the crew working US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15,2009 when the aircraft made a ditching in the Hudson river. Doreen was the only flight attendant who was injured; having her ankle impaled by an eight inch metal rod. She was at the back of the aircraft and made a critical; split second decision to stop passengers from opening the rear doors and having them climb over the seats-a decision that was credited by NTSB investigators as key limiting injuries and contributing to the successful evacuation with zero fatalities.  See this LINK

Captain Denny Flanagan – Goodwill Ambassador for the Airline Industry Captain Flanagan comes from a 45 year career in commercial aviation. He is based in ORD and flies the Boeing 757/767 for United Airlines on Transatlantic and Transcontinental routes. He has established a reputation as the “goodwill ambassador” of the airline industry by taking unorthodox actions to benefit passengers including taking picture of animals in cargo bins to allow owners to see the animal was onboard and calls parents of unaccompanied minors during lengthy delays. He has been known to give away bottles of wine, trading cars, and discount coupons to random passengers on his flights. Captain Flanagan serves on the Board for the Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund, named after the Captain of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. He is a navy veteran and retired from active duty in 1993. His good works have been recognized by the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Times, and in various other publications. See this LINK

Flight Attendant Patty Young – Stopped Smoking on Airplanes.  Patty is known by many as an aviation Joan of Arc. Her tenacity and commitment led to a successful suit against the tobacco industry that resulted in eliminating smoking on airplanes.   She is on the Board of the Flight Attendant medical Research Institute (FAMRI) which funds anti smoking research.  See this LINK 

Flight Attendant Donna Hubbard – Raising Awareness of Human Trafficking  Donna Hubbard will share the remarkable story of how she survived seven years of trafficking and transformed her experience to become Airline Ambassadors inspirational trainer, raising awareness of in the airline industry of one of the most important human rights issues of our time. Now as founder of Women of the Well Transition Center in Atlanta, she has transformed her own experience into a vehicle for service to others.  See this LINK