IATA SYMPOSIUM ON PREVENTING “HUMAN TRAFFICKING”

IATA’s Human Traffic 2001, in Atlanta on 15-16 October brings together a diverse panel of experts from airlines, governments, international organisations, human rights groups and commercial interests. It will serve as an open forum to discuss the wide-ranging issues associated with migration. The goal is to focus greater attention on the actual scope of the problem and to identify appropriate solutions that can address the needs of states while recognising the contributions, concerns and capabilities of the air transport industry.

Human smuggling has become one of organised crime’s most profitable ventures. At the same time, many travellers undertake journeys entirely on their own initiative, in order to start a new life in certain host countries, without any encouragement from those hosts. As a result, attractive destination states are faced with many arriving travellers who have inadequate or no personal documentation. Airlines providing service to those destinations find themselves under mounting pressure to become de-facto immigration officers. They also face increasing fines and other financial liabilities, estimated at more than USD 250 million in the past decade.

During the past 15 years, IATA has helped airlines protect themselves from this growing problem. In its role as chair for the IATA/Control Authorities Working Group, comprised of 19 Immigration Services and national airlines, IATA has assisted in providing document awareness training to over 12,000 airline agents and government inspectors in 55 cities worldwide. IATA’s Facilitation Section is actively involved in the work of various international bodies, ensuring that the concerns of the airline industry are recognised and understood.