"Looks like a great meeting; sorry I can't get there."

Posted by: JoanEisenstodt in Travel costs, Travel Arrangements, Speakers, Meetings, Conventions on Apr 07, 2008

THIS is what I fear we are going to hear more and more.  With the number of airlines that folded in the last few days, with the planes that were out of service for safety checks (something I see now as ongoing) and with capacity cut on all airlines (see this about USAirways http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/04/07/daily1.html?b=1207540800^1616337&ana=e_abd) and gas prices through the roof .. how ARE people going to get to meetings?

What are the contingencies for attrition? For smaller than planned for sessions?  How will those who are invited to facilitate education or speak feel about the smaller audiences?

Is anyone talking seriously about this? Is this a contingency or emergency for which groups are planning?  How closely are you and your employer or clients looking at the impact of all this for future meetings? Are you looking at cities with an eye to the major markets (or first tier cities as the industry calls them) hoping the airlines will still service them?  If those cities are the ones w/ the meetings, will costs be higher because they hold the key to getting people to meetings and know it and have higher occupancy .. and will we even be able to contract for space?

Just realized I am Q-storming(TM) with myself - asking key questions that need to be asked.

 Wanna talk about it? I'm concerned.


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written by Tyra Hilliard, April 14, 2008
I imagine we will start seeing disputes in which the force majeure clauses in hotel meeting contracts are at issue in terms of whether airline cancellations like the recent ones forgive attrition. And, as always, the legal answer will be "it depends" (on how the clause is written). Some include language that says that "transportation interruption" are cause for termination of the contract, but if the force majeure clause doesn't also specify that it applies to a partial force majeure, there would likely be some ambiguity to its application to attrition. It's always something.
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written by Lisa Junker, April 11, 2008
I'm at a meeting in Memphis today, and, due to weather and American Airlines, two breakout speakers couldn't make it--and the breakfast speaker didn't arrive until lunch. The staff have handled it with aplomb, though. They had the lunch speaker speak at breakfast, the breakfast speaker speak at lunch, and just let everyone know that two breakout speakers can't be here. Attendees (especially those who suffered their own airline problems getting here) were very understanding.

I'd be curious to know how many attendees didn't make it, though. I hope that didn't create problems for the meeting organizers!
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