AAAE, federal partners train airport employees to identify insider threat and human trafficking

The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and federal partners recently announced the availability of courses to help airport employees identify an insider threat or potential human trafficking. AAAE’s 9,000 members represent over 850 airports.

AAAE Insider Threat Training Course

For National Insider Threat Awareness Month, AAAE  and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) encourage use of a recently developed virtual insider threat training course. The two organizations jointly developed the virtual training to help badged employees at airports recognize and report behaviors and activities that could indicate a threat to airport safety and security. AAAE is making the course available to aviation workers through its various training services that are used by hundreds of airports across the country.  

This important training is an element of the TSA Insider Threat Roadmap and my priorities in transportation security. Solving the insider threat issue requires training, vigilance and reporting, and I am confident this course will help our thousands of badged employees.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske

Aviation security is a shared mission, and AAAE is proud to have collaborated with TSA to develop quality training on one of the biggest threats to aviation.  This important insider threat training course already has been delivered efficiently and effectively to nearly 40,000 airport badge holders. We are eager to grow that number significantly in the days ahead.

Todd Hauptli, AAAE president and chief executive officer

The insider threat training course produced by AAAE in collaboration with the TSA defines an insider threat; describes reasons people become threats; describes specific, observable behavioral indicators; clarifies the employee’s security responsibilities; and highlights how to report suspicious activity. Since launching the training in 2021, badged airport employees have expressed positive feedback about the quality of the training.

AAAE makes this virtual insider threat training course developed for aviation employees available across its computer-based training services, Digicast, and Interactive Employee Training (IET). The association says its computer-based training services are used by more than 300 airports across the country and deliver more than 1 million training sessions annually on airport-related topics.

For more information about the AAAE Insider Threat Training Course, visit AAAE.

Human Trafficking Prevention Training

In addition, AAAE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in support of the Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI), which trains airport tenants and staff on how to identify potential traffickers and human trafficking victims, and to report their suspicions to federal law enforcement. AAAE will make virtual BLI training courses available to aviation workers through its various training services that are used by hundreds of airports across the country.  

AAAE and the airport community are committed to fighting human trafficking. Partnering with DHS and DOT on the Blue Lightning Initiative will help standardize human trafficking awareness training and prevention for thousands of workers at hundreds of airports that rely on AAAE for compliance and supplemental education and further unite us in our efforts to protect vulnerable individuals.

Kyle Herbig, AAAE vice president, Customer Solutions

BLI is proud to announce a new partnership with AAAE. This partnership will make the BLI training accessible to AAAE’s member airports nationwide and will further the aviation industry’s collective efforts to combat this heinous crime.

Karinda L. Washington, executive director of Social Impact and Campaigns with DHS

The DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) commends the Blue Lightning Initiative for being at the forefront of providing relevant and impactful information to the aviation industry which has resulted in a vital segment of the workforce being better equipped to recognize and respond to human trafficking. The Center appreciates our ongoing partnership with the Blue Campaign so together we can enhance the DHS mission to combat this egregious crime no matter where it occurs.

CCHT Director Cardell T. Morant

The U.S. Department of Transportation is proud to work with our partners across government and the aviation sector on critical counter-trafficking efforts. When frontline aviation personnel are trained to recognize and report suspected instances of human trafficking, actionable tips are reported to law enforcement to help stop the crime.  This BLI partnership highlights the commitment of the airport industry in joining airlines and industry associations across the country to take a stand against human trafficking.

Julie Abraham, director, Office of International Transportation and Trade at the U.S. Department of Transportation

Human trafficking is one of the world’s largest criminal enterprises, points out AAAE. Raising awareness among airport workers and helping them identify the signs of human trafficking can help prevent this crime.

AAAE will make Human Trafficking Prevention Training available across its computer-based training services, Digicast, and Interactive Employee Training (IET). AAAE also offers Active Shooter Training, Sensitive Security Information (SSI) Training and more.