The situation
During the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, a major international airline contacted Control Risks with an immediate operational problem. The trade unions representing air crews had informed the airline that their members would not fly to Paris and that crews already in Paris would not leave their hotels without dedicated security. The airline was faced with a potential cascade of flight cancellations and disruptions.
Control Risks' approach
Control Risks immediately deployed executive protection and secure transportation teams to transfer the air crews to and from the airport. For 72 consecutive hours, Control Risks’ teams transported staff through a myriad of security zones and from numerous hotels and private homes.
Concurrently, Control Risks’ consultants built a detailed journey management plan that adjusted in real time as the security situation unfolded.
An Operations Manager led a follow-on element from London in order to provide a surge security support capability.
The Operations Manager stationed teams at the airport and coordinated with US and French government agencies to expedite movements, conduct “meet and greets,” and deliver updated security awareness briefings to the crews.
The outcome
The airline’s flight operations centre received timely, actionable information from the Control Risks operations team and analysts and was able to adjust operations accordingly.
By the end of the weekend only one flight, the first departure from the US, was cancelled.
The Control Risks team was recognized by the client and the US government officials in Paris for facilitating operations and providing a template that other airlines follow.