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Stand out differences between a security driver and a chauffeur
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Transportation to high-risk destinations – what business travellers need to know
Sadly, the world seems to be an increasingly dangerous place for business travellers. This is particularly apparent at the moment, with the escalating conflict in the Middle East, ongoing Russian/Ukrainian war, civil wars in Sudan and Myanmar, gang activity in Haiti, and violence in Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
So, what do you do if you’re responsible for the security of an important business traveller and they need to visit a high-risk destination? And what happens if you find your client is stuck overseas and needs to get back urgently?
This article tells you what you need to know and how we can help.
Governments around the world are currently cautioning their citizens against going to the Middle East. This includes Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Kuwait.
As a core crossroads between Asia, Africa and Europe, travelling in the area is highly dangerous, while avoiding it can cause major inconvenience.
If someone travels anywhere against government advice, they will get no support, are unlikely to be insured, and are taking their lives into their own hands. The airlines won’t help. Such travellers will somehow have to make their own way there and back.
In line with advice from the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), we strongly advise against all travel to the Middle East unless it’s absolutely essential.
So far, we’ve talked about the Middle East, but that’s not the only ‘no-fly’ zone in the world or destination where travel is particularly dangerous.
We also arrange secure ground and air transportation in locations such as Latin America, and have access to armed security personnel and armoured vehicles in Mexico, for example.
If we are transporting clients under fire, some of the extra things we do include:
We always work with the client’s security team to undertake a destination-specific risk assessment in advance.
Often, it’s safest for clients to ‘fly under the radar’, even if it’s not in a war zone.
In some locations, being in a shiny luxury limousine can indicate that someone important is in the vehicle, which suggests to bad actors that attacking or kidnapping the passenger might be worth something to them.
In those destinations, it wouldn’t be appropriate to provide a high-profile police escort or transport our clients in a brand-new car. For example, in Sao Paulo we recently transported the principal in an 8-year-old armoured Skoda that didn’t stand out or draw attention.
You might find it useful to check out our sister firm, SGT Risk Management. We can provide close protection officers (aka executive protection officers or bodyguards) as well as a range of other security services.
Do you have a client who is stuck in a high-risk area? We help foreign nationals who are desperately trying to leave in a time of flight disruptions.
Recently, we have done several safe extractions – getting high-net worth individuals and their families out of danger. Most UHNWIs have already escaped from the danger zone. Here are a few examples:
One client wanted to get out of Dubai. At the time there were no flights across Qatar, and the Strait of Hormuz was closed. We took them to Saudi Arabia, from there to Cairo, and home via a Mediterranean route.
We extracted a client from Qatar. Dubai airport was closed at the time (including the small private airfield there), so we transported them by road to Riyadh and they flew out from there.
Another client was stuck in Manila and panicking about how to get home. We arranged to transport them to Seoul and then onto a 14-hour flight home via Korean Air.
We had a client who needed to get out of Venezuela. There were no planes available in the Caribbean so we transported them by sea to Mexico. From there they could fly home via LAX.
Here are a few of the things to consider:
You probably know people who have cancelled their travel plans because they can’t change planes in Doha, or who paid fortunes to fly back to the UK from Dubai, or who found themselves stuck overseas because their airline was suddenly grounded.
If the principal and their entourage have an urgent need to go to a war-torn area, our job is to reduce the threat to a manageable level.
Security firms with our level of specialist expertise are few and far between. We know all possible routes to and from any high-risk destination, and have trusted security personnel ‘on the ground’ at any location.
We can control for many risks, but we can’t protect anyone from falling masonry after a missile strike, or from being hit by shrapnel after a drone attack. Also, airlines can cancel flights without notice, and leave passengers stranded.
We get daily intelligence about the global situation, and we have personal connections in the security industry around the world. It’s comforting for our clients – and the firms responsible for their security – to know we’re here to arrange secure transportation for VIPs by land, air and sea.
For more information, please give us a call. We look after important business travellers, their families, and their entourages, even in high-risk areas.
Stand out differences between a security driver and a chauffeur
