Plan.Meet.Repeat March April 2019 Issue book meet repeat march april | Page 11

Now that you have successfully navigated the route
to the airport, you need to park your vehicle in either
the long-term or short-term parking and get to the
terminal. Again, there are risks that exist during this
phase of your trip. Depending upon the time of day,
such as early morning or late at night, you will face
additional risks that come with traveling through the
parking lot when it’s dark. Most airport parking lots
have very good lighting, but that doesn’t mean
someone isn’t lurking nearby and looking to steal your
belongings, kidnap you or commit some other crime.
Airports usually have security, but they can’t be
everywhere at once, which leaves gaps in their
coverage. Criminals know this, and also know the best
places to wait for their next victim. If traveling alone,
you are more likely to face someone in a parking lot
than if you are with two or more travelers. Of course,
there could be multiple assailants, but the risk
decreases when you are with a group. Keep your
guard up, especially late night or early morning,
although problems could happen at any time.
You will be dealing with one or more bags, and this
means that your hands are busy dealing with your
purse, backpack, luggage, etc. and you won’t be as
ready if something were to occur. If possible, park as
close as you can to where you need to enter the
terminal. If you must park far away, hopefully there
is a shuttle stop that enables you to take a shuttle and
not have to walk. Most large airports have shuttle
service, so you can always stay in your vehicle with
the doors locked until you see one approaching so as
to minimize the time you are exposed. Of course, the
shuttle ride itself is not without risk, but it is extremely
low due to the short ride and low speed of the shuttle.
Some larger airports have monorail systems to
transport you in-between terminals. These also have
a risk since they could malfunction and crash, but
again, you will be on them for a very short time and
they are very safe. Just hold on tight until it comes to
a complete stop. This is one of the major advantages
of getting a ride from a friend, family member or
co-worker, using a ride sharing service, or riding in a
taxi or limo.
You can be dropped off right at the terminal and not
have to navigate the lot with your bags, limiting your
risk (and saving long-term parking fees and the risk of
having your car broken into or stolen while parked in
your absence!)
You have now entered the airport terminal. As with
any large, public place there are risks to your safety
and well-being here. Anyone who has been in an
airport lately hears the repetitive “don’t leave your
bags unattended” message over the public address
system. It may get annoying, but there is good reason
for this. With so many people moving through airports
on any given day, the likelihood of someone being able
to drop something into your bag without your
knowledge may be low, but it is easy to do. Take this
warning seriously, and make sure you keep your bag
closed/zipped/secured so that it doesn’t happen to you.
There have been bombings at airports in the recent past
such as at the Istanbul airport in Turkey on June 28,
2016 that was carried out by suicide bombers and killed
41 people. Two bombs at the Brussels Airport in
Belgium and one at a subway station there claimed the
lives of 31 people on March 22, 2016. On January 24,
2011 there was an airport bombing by a suicide bomber
at the Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow,
Russia that killed 37 and injured 173. Although the
likelihood of this happening may be low, it doesn’t
mean that it won’t happen again – either
internationally or in the US.
So how do you protect yourself from this sort of
danger? It starts with your own personal awareness
of your surroundings, but it also means that you should
always note the location of exits and areas of cover.
(note: cover will stop flying debris and bullets, but
concealment will only provide you with the ability to hide)
One way to lower your exposure and increase your
safety is to stay around the perimeter of the building
and to avoid large concentrations of people while
waiting for your flight.
Plan Meet Repeat Magazine March/April 2019
11