What Is Aviation Profiling?
Many people who rarely use air transportation worry about their safety. However, even frequent flyers share these concerns. The main reason is global terrorism. The tense socio-political climate has led Aviation Security Services (ASS) to implement new methods and technologies to enhance passenger safety. While modern security measures focus on detecting dangerous items and substances, they do not reveal criminal intentions. Currently, there are efforts to develop technologies that can identify such intentions by analyzing a person’s psychophysiological reactions.
At present, only humans can, with a certain degree of probability, identify behavioral traits in others and make quick management decisions. This is where profiling comes in as an innovative technology for identifying potentially dangerous individuals. Profiling is carried out by specially trained professionals known as profilers. This technology is used in airports, train stations, bus terminals, subways, and shopping centers. The most effective profiling service is considered to be in Israel, where it was first introduced in the 1970s by the airline El Al.
How Profiling Works in Airports
Security at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel is based on several layers of protection. The outer layer involves intelligence agencies gathering information about potential terrorist attacks and working to prevent threats. The main layer is the perimeter of the secured area. The inner layer is the airport security service—no one can officially enter without permission. Full-scale screening is not practiced. Before entering the terminal, visitors are observed by at least ten pairs of eyes, interviewed, and, if necessary, searched.
In the United States, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees use a behavioral detection program aimed at discreetly observing and analyzing passenger behavior. The TSA has 3,000 behavioral detection officers working in 161 out of 450 U.S. passenger airports.
The Goals and Process of Aviation Profiling
Aviation profiling aims to identify passengers who may intend to commit unlawful acts on board an aircraft or in the airport building, based on nonverbal cues. Profiling is operational in nature and must be conducted quickly due to the constant flow of passengers. Typically, profiling involves categorizing passengers into groups: potentially non-dangerous or potentially dangerous. The latter group is further divided into suspicious and critically suspicious individuals.
Security staff must constantly ask themselves: Does this person intend to commit an offense? Key warning signs include:
- Uneven or unusual clothing
- Bulges in clothing where weapons could be hidden
- Walking around and carefully inspecting the premises
Nervous system indicators, such as an unnaturally pale face or a trance-like state, can also be red flags. Discrepancies may appear in clothing, passport, ticket, or visa information. Suspicion may also arise if a person cannot provide specific information about their travel companions or if their travel route seems illogical.
Stages of Profiling in Airports
The profiling process in airports typically includes the following steps:
- Observing the passenger flow
- Identifying individuals who may be potentially dangerous
- Checking personal documents
- Conducting a general interview
- Conducting a detailed interview
- Final assessment
Profiling is most effective at airport entry checkpoints, check-in counters, and customs control zones. The most challenging stage is the interview, where the profiler analyzes the truthfulness of the passenger’s answers, paying attention to both general responses and evasions. Effective use of profiling can significantly reduce the risk of terrorist acts in airports.
Profiling in Russia: Challenges and Development
The idea of creating a professional profiling service in Russian airport security was first discussed in 2004 after the bombings of planes departing from Domodedovo. After the 2011 explosion in the same airport’s arrivals hall, the need for profilers at all transportation hubs was raised again.
In Russia, passengers are not always receptive to profiling. For example, in Israeli airports, passengers calmly respond to security staff asking questions, while Russian passengers often find this intrusive. The qualification level of Russian profilers is still developing, as the profession is in its early stages. The lack of a legal framework defining the powers of specialists, absence from the official list of professions, and no central coordination system hinder the development of profiling in Russia.
Conclusion
In summary, training in profiling encourages more thoughtful and attentive observation, helping to identify cause-and-effect relationships between events. Implementing profiling makes a significant contribution to the fight against terrorism and improves the effectiveness of security management at aviation enterprises.
Original scientific publication: https://cyberleninka.ru