SoCal Airport Expands Human Trafficking Safeguards During World Cup

BURBANK, CA — Hollywood Burbank Airport announced Wednesday it is expanding its efforts to combat human trafficking during the World Cup by distributing quick-reference cards to frontline airport workers to help identify and report potential victims.

The airport is partnering with Freedom Insight, a nonprofit organization that trains transportation and hospitality workers to recognize signs of human trafficking.

According to airport officials, the pocket cards have been distributed to airlines, ground handlers, public safety personnel, airport operations and maintenance workers, skycaps, fixed-base operators, charter companies, parking employees, bus drivers, traffic controllers, concessionaires and airport staff.

Officials said the cards outline common indicators of human trafficking and provide airport-specific reporting procedures.

"We continue to strengthen California's frontline defense against human trafficking," Hollywood Burbank Airport Executive Director John Hatanaka said in a statement. "Putting these quick-reference tools directly into their hands dramatically increases our ability to protect vulnerable people during the World Cup travel surge."

Airport officials said the initiative builds on a partnership with Freedom Insight that began in 2022, when the organizations launched annual human trafficking awareness and prevention training for airport workers.

According to the airport, about 38 percent of human trafficking victims travel through airports at some point during their exploitation, making major sporting events with increased travel an opportunity for traffickers to conceal victims among large crowds.

Officials said the pocket cards will remain in use after the World Cup as part of ongoing efforts to protect the more than six million passengers who travel through Hollywood Burbank Airport each year.