Cos. Examine Security For Int'l Travelers, Revisit Policies

Corporations are having to make rapid decisions about the security of their international travelers in anticipation of likely U.S. military action in response to the recent attacks.

In addition to assessing the likely risks of expected anti-Western (and specifically anti-American) protests, companies are realizing they must take an urgent look at their general security plans for travelers, including establishing lines of communication, organizing emergency repatriation procedures and limiting the number of employees allowed on the same flight. International travelers also are having to deal with the same disruptions that are being experienced within the United States, including savage reductions in schedules and considerably lengthier checkin procedures due to enhanced security arrangements.

For the short term, the U.S. State Department has issued a general warning that American travelers should exercise vigilance and, specifically, avoid Pakistan. But a more useful and detailed assessment has been published by London-based security consultancy Control Risks Group. It advised that all companies evacuate all personnel from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Yemen and postpone all travel to those countries. Control Risks also recommended postponement of non-essential travel to Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikstan and Uzbekistan. Westerners who visit these countries should stay in touch with their embassies.

The events of Sept. 11 proved chillingly that nowhere in the world is immune to terrorist attacks and vigilance is required everywhere. Citibank evacuated its offices in Tokyo on Sept. 18, following a bomb threat and the Hotel New Otani had to be cleared for the same reason. Security experts consider Japan especially vulnerable to attack because its intelligence services notoriously are weak. Another country that cannot be ruled out is the United Kingdom, due to its role as the chief European ally of the United States, although its levels of vigilance are high after decades of dealing with Irish terrorism.

U.S.-based security group Kroll Worldwide is encouraging travelers to register with embassies and to ensure they have a list of emergency telephone numbers and a plentiful supply of cash.

Control Risks director Christopher Grose offered further advice for business travelers. "Don't have luggage labels that identify your nationality," he said. "Don't travel unnecessarily within the country either—go in, do your business and leave. While you are there, keep away from known meeting places for expats, such as cafes and restaurants."

Corporate America needs little prompting from experts or official sources in any case. Economic pressures already had forced a severe cutback in travel, and corporations are well aware of the additional risks to security and morale, especially if employees cannot return home once the anticipated armed offensive commences. "The simple message is, don't travel unless you have to and don't panic," said the international security chief of one U.S. company. Kevin Mitchell, chairman of travel purchaser advocacy group Business Travel Coalition, said, "A lot of executives have said they are not going to be caught outside the United States as they were in the Gulf War. The other message companies are giving employees is that there is no pressure on them to travel if they feel uncomfortable doing so."

European companies traditionally have been less reluctant than U.S. counterparts to pull the plug on international travel during periods of global tension and there are early indications that the same is true this time. "There has been a definite falling off in travel to the Middle East and North America, but none of our U.K. clients still has a complete embargo on travel," said Peter Kite, client services director for BTI U.K. "That said, they are all reviewing policies in light of security concerns and the fear of a further economic downturn."

On both sides of the Atlantic, companies are expected to look at travel and security policies in tandem. Control Risks is urging companies to ensure they have well planned procedures for emergency repatriations. Some air charter brokers, such as Air Partner, have insurance policies that guarantee clients priority access to private aircraft if a crisis breaks out.

Members of the Institute of Travel Management for the U.K. and Ireland, meanwhile, are paying particular attention to their duties as employers, attempting to understand their liabilities if travelers are stranded, let alone injured, while on business. BTI's Kite predicted that companies will take even more note of the pre-trip information provided by their travel management companies. Pre-trip data lets companies cancel journeys to destinations that become a security risk and also monitors the number of personnel from a company allowed on the same flight.

Companies also may take steps to see what information their travel agents can pull together on where travelers are when a crisis strikes. U.K. agents complained that global distribution system data systems, which would give them such details, failed on Sept. 11 because of sudden, overwhelming demand.

Meanwhile, U.S. travelers who continue to travel abroad can expect the same broad restrictions as they are encountering at home. United Airlines is typical in asking passengers flying from Europe to show up at least three hours early and with only one piece of hand luggage. As in the United States, sharp instruments are being confiscated.

Security alerts also are adding to the chaos. Incidents have included a Singapore Airlines flight from Frankfurt forced to return to Germany and a Virgin Atlantic flight from London Heathrow to New York diverted to an airfield in Canada after a bomb threat was received. Canadian Air Force jets have scrambled on at least two occasions to escort civilian aircraft to land.

Some European carriers also have started to cut back schedules as they reduce operations and axe staff to deal with the economic downturn. Virgin Atlantic is reducing its schedule by 20 percent for next month, with the reductions focused heavily on its North Atlantic services. Aer Lingus is cutting by 25 percent.