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airport worker marshalling an aircraft. Wearing a reflective vest and holding signal lights for marshalling.

Blog

Travel Risks in a Polarized World: Navigating Global Uncertainty

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In late April, air traffic controllers for Newark Liberty International Airport experienced a potentially catastrophic breakdown. For 30 seconds, radio communication with aircraft went silent. Portions of radar systems failed. Controllers were unable to communicate with pilots or monitor aircraft locations

Though brief, the incident highlighted the fragility of infrastructure and challenges of global mobility. A media report noted that “for 30 harrowing seconds” air traffic controllers had “no means of telling pilots how to avoid crashing their planes into one another.”

The Newark incident, and subsequent reports of gaps in staffing and technology was one example of the evolving international travel risk environment.

Air safety is just one layer of a complex risk matrix that now includes cybersecurity, public health threats, climate disruptions, and abrupt regulatory changes. These dynamics demand a fundamental shift in how organizations approach Travel Risk Management (TRM). Traditional static travel policies—often reviewed periodically—are no longer adequate.

Risk management frameworks
must be dynamic, tailored to specific contexts, and responsive to fast-changing conditions. A more adaptive and integrated approach is essential in the new era of increasing polarization and heightened uncertainty.

Organizations that succeed in this environment will shift from reactive strategies to proactive readiness. Travel risk management can no longer function in isolation, whether as a responsibility of a single department or individual.

It requires organization-wide alignment, integration of real-time intelligence, cross-functional collaboration, and investment in practical training.

Effective travel risk management is no longer about issuing approvals or denials—it is about fostering operational agility, resilience, and, most of all, building a culture of readiness.

Relevant lessons are drawn from the humanitarian sector. International aid organizations frequently operate in complex, high-risk environments.

Their decision-making centers on enabling access safely, rather than defaulting to avoidance. This approach is informed by localized intelligence and rooted in mission-driven priorities, as well as the ever-present pressure to deliver services.

These organizations are not liberated from internal challenges, such as fragmented security functions and errors in judgment or risk postures. But they consistently excel in balancing access and safety through integrated planning.

The private sector can apply similar principles of enabling operations, rather than defaulting to restrictions. This kind of organizational change is never easy and is often deferred while preoccupied with other enterprise priorities. It is particularly difficult to pull off given that it may require a change in thinking, resourcing and higher risk tolerances.

Taking smaller, more incremental steps can be a practical way forward, including any or all of the following actions:

Conduct Scenario-Based Planning

Organizations benefit from modeling a range of plausible disruptions, such as cyber incidents, political unrest, or abrupt changes in immigration rules or enforcement. Travel disruptions occur with minimal warning.

The Newark incident, for example, led to widespread delays and cancellations that rippled across the country and world. Tabletop exercises and crisis simulations help identify procedural gaps and enhance coordination among leadership, travel managers, and security teams.

Establish Dedicated Incident Teams

Effective response to political, health-related, or digital travel incidents requires informed, rapid-response teams. These groups should have access to real-time intelligence and the ability to support travelers through coordination with local contacts and internal stakeholders.

Clearly defined roles, networks, and mandates are essential to ensuring a swift, coordinated response.

Secure Mobile Devices and Involve IT Teams

As mobility increases, so does the intersection of physical and digital risk. Business travelers often carry sensitive data on personal or corporate devices, which may be subject to inspection.

Close coordination with IT and cybersecurity teams is essential to ensure travel practices align with evolving digital risks. Equally important is having a clear understanding and awareness of legal rights.

Mitigation strategies include minimizing stored data, applying robust encryption, and clearly defining what information should and should not be taken at home or abroad.

Leverage Real-Time Intelligence

Timely, actionable intelligence is critical to anticipating and responding to disruptions. Modern travel risk ecosystems are increasingly supported by digital tools such as traveler tracking systems, mobile alerts, and incident reporting platforms that enable organizations to stay connected with employees and respond rapidly when incidents occur.

Prepare Travelers Proactively

Equipping travelers with pre-departure briefings, situational awareness training, and cultural context helps reduce exposure and build traveler confidence. This includes practical advice and protocols on border crossings, such as regular check-ins and traveling in pairs, so a colleague can raise an alert if a coworker is detained.

Strong travel management requires the same skills and attributes as high-performing teams: an understanding of roles and responsibilities, clear and consistent communication, defined goals and objectives, and a level of trust among team members that supports problem-solving. This aspect of change will be familiar to any productive enterprise.

In this environment, travel readiness becomes a business asset. Organizations that invest in forward-leaning, risk-informed strategies will be better positioned to operate globally, safeguard personnel, and respond effectively to emerging threats. Integrating risk management into both organizational systems and individual behavior builds resilience from the ground up.

The Newark example revealed systemic weaknesses in the United States air traffic control system and highlighted the need for revision and improvement. Fortunately, it did not result in harm to aircraft, airline personnel, or passengers.

System disruptions or failures rarely arise from a single factor but more often from a combination of shortcomings or breakpoints.
 
In this context, the Newark disruption should be seen not only as a cautionary tale for the U.S. air traffic control system but also as a broader lesson for any organization about the consequences of neglecting potential vulnerabilities and rapidly changing circumstances, especially in today’s era of increasing polarization and heightened uncertainty.