Charter Outfit Partners with DHS/DOT Blue Lightning Initiative

On Monday, 03 April 2023, New Jersey-based Sparrow Executive Jets announced with pride that it has earned the distinction of being the first air charter brokerage to partner with the Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI)—a joint venture of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Transportation (DOT) which seeks to end human trafficking.

The Blue Lightning Initiative is an element of the DHS Blue Campaign, a national public awareness campaign undertaken for purpose of educating the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and respond appropriately to possible cases of such. The Blue Campaign leverages partnerships with the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), law enforcement, and state/local authorities to maximize national public engagement in anti-human trafficking efforts. The Blue Campaign’s educational awareness objectives comprises two foundational elements: prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons.

Within the context of the aviation industry, the Blue Lightning Initiative trains aviation personnel to identify potential traffickers and victims, and to report suspicions to federal law enforcement.

DHS Blue Campaign senior advisor Michael Camal stated: "DHS welcomes Sparrow Executive Jets to our growing community of Blue Lightning Initiative partners. This partnership will strengthen our efforts to fight human trafficking in the private aviation sector. It is vital that all general aviation employees are educated on the common warning signs and how to appropriately report potential cases."

As a BLI partner, Sparrow Executive Jets joins more than 120 aerospace concerns—including airlines, airports, and aviation companies, the entirety of which follow training and reporting protocols defined by DHS and DOT. To date, BLI partners have trained over 350,000 aviation personnel, who have and continue to generate actionable tips conducive to the eradication of human trafficking.

Sparrow Executive Jets founder and president Jacquie Dalton remarked: "We're honored to join the Blue Lightning Initiative in the fight against human trafficking. Private aviation is a critical form of transportation, and we're committed to efforts like BLI that increase its safety and security. As a BLI partner, we now have the tools to educate our charter team and community members on how to effectively identify and report trafficking."

Charter brokerages, insomuch as they are required by regulation to vet all parties involved in charter transactions—to include management companies, aircraft owners, and passengers—are well-positioned to combat human trafficking.

Ms. Dalton added: "At Sparrow Executive Jets, we know who we fly and why they fly. It sets a higher charter standard that's integral to the safety and security of all parties."

Sparrow Executive Jets, as an element of its introduction to the Blue Lightning Initiative, recently participated in a DHS Combating Human Aviation Trafficking in Aviation Summit for BLI partners and aviation industry professionals.

FMI: www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign