Human Smuggling, the illegal transfer of people over national boundaries, is a huge problem worldwide.
A considerable portion of this illicit traffic takes place through international airports, despite the stringent measures in place to prevent these activities.
Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport is no exception, with criminal elements making attempts to pass passengers bearing incomplete or fraudulent documents through its portals.
SriLankan Airlines has achieved considerable success recently in its efforts to crack down on illegal travel through Colombo’s airport by passengers using forged travel documents, often supplied by organized criminals running human trafficking rings.
As the sole ground handling operator for all airlines that operate at BIA, SriLankan plays an important role in detecting passengers with forged visas and boarding passes attempting to travel overseas.
SriLankan’s airport and security staff are especially trained in document checking, with training provided by several foreign embassies in Colombo.
The airline also works closely with other authorities at BIA - Immigration, Customs, Airport & Aviation Services and Air Force to thwart the efforts of these criminals.
Recently, SriLankan staff detected five persons with forged passports attempting to board flights at BIA.
Human trafficking is a serious challenge for airlines.
When such persons are discovered after arriving at foreign airports, the airline faces stiff fines, especially in Europe.
Fines range up to 5,500 euros per passenger (LKR 900,000) in some European countries.
Airlines must also pay the detected person’s return airfare to country of origin, cost of detention rooms at foreign airports, and sometimes even investigation costs borne by authorities. SriLankan recorded a 46% reduction in fines for such travel in 2016, in comparison to the previous year and is targeting zero violations.
It’s an uphill task due to the organized nature of the rings that operate on a global scale.
Illicit travellers usually attempt travel to Europe, Middle East, Far East, Australia, and North America, often lured by the prospect of employment.
Many ignorant travellers are duped into paying massive sums of money to human trafficking rings who supply them with forged travel documents or documents of other people. In addition, there are also passengers who are ignorant of necessary valid documentation, and expiry dates, and often attempt to travel abroad without meeting required criteria.
SriLankan Airlines urges all travellers to check visa and travel document requirements with travel agents or via srilankan.com website when making travel plans.