Good Stuff from Joan Eisenstodt

American Airlines announced the new first checked bag charges - for all but a few classes of passengers.  It raised a ruckus - esp. on the MiForum listserv where many discussed a boycott of AA.

What concerns me more - much more - is the number of flights being cut and the cities that will have no air service - by AA or DL or UA or other airlines that are cutting the less prosperous routes.

Of course the airlines must do something to cut costs and make money!  If the airlines don't survive (remember the chaos after 9/11/01?) we're in for a very different model for doing business and meeting.

People want to "get there" quickly and conveniently; we depend on the airlines to help us do so. 

If, however, the markets in which we want to do business or hold meetings are underserved or not served at all by airlines, what will happen? Many smaller cities have built convention centers, believing that if you build it they will come.  With the cost of gas edging up higher and higher, the drive-in traffic is no longer dependable. (Look at  Las Vegas as an example of a place that depends on both meetings and drive-in leisure travel for a city losing gambling and accommodation taxes and the cuts they've made so far in municipal services and employment at some hotels and casinos.)  Meetings may not stop but will draw a different audience if people (participants and speakers) can't get there because there is no air service and it's too far and expensive to drive.

What will happen to employment? What about the buildings - the convention centers? hotels? restaurants?  Will we see abandoned buildings or will communities figure out other uses?

Yeah, I know .. I sound like I'm crying out a doomsday scenario.  Do I think it's that dire?

Maybe.

At least in the short run - and maybe longer.

What is our industry going to do to help cities think differently about what and how businesses can be sustained?