Value chain risk analysis

Modern slavery in international transport mostly concerns human trafficking, as people can be forcibly transported across borders via airplanes, buses, trains and ferries.

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose. As a hidden crime, hard data on trafficking is elusive. According to estimates, about 60% of trafficking victims are forced to cross borders, mostly by means of international transporting companies, meaning that transport is a major element of the trafficking industry. Estimates also show that more than a quarter of trafficking victims are children.

Bus and train stations are used as potential recruitment spots by traffickers as they are often frequented by homeless people, especially youths, who are looking for shelter and are easy targets for exploitation. At the same time, major transportation hubs like airports, as well as bus and train stations, are key points for identifying victims and raising public awareness.

High competition and price pressure in the international transport industry have a direct impact on working conditions. Long working hours, low wages, and tight schedules leading to inadequate rest time are common.

In the aviation industry, there have been reports of very low wages for cabin personnel, as well as pilots working with international (budget) airlines. Some crew members do not receive fixed monthly wages but are paid by the hour. Depending on possible working volume or season, they may not even reach minimum wages.

Some pilots or cabin crew are contracted under the laws of the country where the airline’s headquarters are located and not where staff reside (see Ryanair case below). In some cases, this leads to the violation of national labour laws as payments may fall below national minimum wages and inadequate access to social security or pension systems is provided.

Ground staff, such as airport kitchen workers, baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants, or cleaning personnel are often also affected by low wages. In many cases, their contracts are subcontracted to specialized agencies, with the employer handing over the direct responsibility for their working conditions to the subcontractor. Furthermore, ground personnel are often not included in union action and agreements.

Low wages are also common for bus drivers of long-distance bus companies. Due to tight schedules, companies often do not respect legally required resting time for bus drivers. Overworking and an inadequate number of rest days or time off for driving personnel may have direct impacts on the safety of staff and customers.

Negative impacts of international transport on communities may be related to noise and environmental pollution, leading to health issues and environmental damage.

Health issues related to constant noise, for instance caused by air traffic, have been found to include sleep disturbance, stress, high blood pressure and a heightened prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (see cases below). Despite industry efforts towards more fuel-efficient and less polluting engines and emission reductions, the rapid growth of the industry is leading to an increasing contribution of air travel of total global pollution and emissions by aviation. Air pollution caused by ferries and ships have been found to negatively impact the health of coastal residents. Furthermore, large vessels, including ferries and cruise ships, add to the pollution of rivers and seas and negatively affect marine life.

For human rights-related risks by the construction of airports or other transport infrastructure, see risk card on Domestic transport / Community impact.  

The main customer rights related risks in the international transportation industry are data privacy and accessibility for customers with disabilities.

Data privacy

Due to fast progress in digitalization and a strong increase in online bookings, international transport companies dispose of vast quantities of (confidential) customer data, including personal details, credit card numbers, travel history details, as well as health-related information. These data are increasingly becoming the focus of cybercriminals seeking to steal or access data for various reasons, such as financial goals or to attack the reputation of a company. Travel companies must make sure that customer data is stored safely and according to international guidelines and inform their customers in the case of a data breach.

Accessibility

Accessibility for all customers is another main issue for transport companies. Accessibility concerns vehicles such as planes, trains, buses or ferries but also associated transport infrastructure such as airports, ports, train and bus stations. Mostly it is people with disabilities who are restricted in their rights, for instance by not receiving sufficient assistance to reach and board a vehicle or airplane, access lavatory facilities, or receive necessary information in case of a hearing or visual impairment. Furthermore, travellers with disabilities may face prejudice, receive misinformation or be required to pay higher prices than other travellers.

A large proportion of high-profile positions in international transportation companies, such as pilots but also management personnel, are still mainly male dominated. Discrimination of women in the international transportation industry is common.

It is mostly the airline industry which is accused of gender discrimination. In airline companies, women dominate sales, ticketing, and flight attendant positions, while the majority of airline CEOs, managers, and pilots are men. According to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, only 5.5% of all pilots were women in 2018, and about 1.5 % captains. There have been reports of airlines discriminating against pregnant women and promoting or degrading women cabin staff based on their looks or size.

Recent reports have also highlighted that airlines have one of the most significant gender pay gaps in the tourism industry, sometimes up to 71,8% between the hourly wages of men and women. Gender pay gaps are also common in other international transportation industries.

Women in jobs which are traditionally male connoted, such as pilots or bus drivers, may face discrimination or not be taken seriously.