CONTACT: Caleb Tiller | 703-684-0836 ext. 38
Alexandria, VA (December 3, 2004) --The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) today issued a paper outlining ways corporate travel managers can plan for the possibility of a U.S. airline ceasing operations, including steps that can be taken prior to, immediately after, and in the days following such an occurrence. “Preparing for Immediate Impact of Chapter 7 Airline Bankruptcy on Corporate Travel Management,” prepared by the NBTA Aviation Committee, is available to NBTA members at www.nbta.org.
“One of the values that travel managers provide to their corporations is to ensure that business travelers are able to reach their destinations in the most time-efficient manner,” said Katina Tryforos, Aviation Committee Co-Chair. “A key carrier ceasing operations would present unique challenges to that goal, and this paper lists steps travel managers can consider to prepare themselves to address such a situation, should it occur.”
Tim Bone, Aviation Committee Co-Chair, added, “As the NBTA committee focused on issues related to aviation, we felt it was important to provide members with a resource that would help them put a plan in place and would serve as a reference tool in the event that a carrier files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A travel manager who follows these guidelines will be prepared to react quickly to such a situation, working with key partners inside and outside of the company and with travelers who understand their needs are being met.”
The paper outlines in a few pages the steps a travel manager should consider taking in developing a strategy to respond to a carrier Chapter 7 filing and provides pointers on communicating with travelers in such an event. A one-page chart included in the paper lists actions to be taken at various points in the process: as advance preparation, immediately following a Chapter 7 filing, the day of an announced cessation of operations, the 48 hours following an announcement, and as follow-up. The concise format makes the paper easy to use as a basic roadmap or as a platform for building a more detailed course of action.
Tryforos added, “I would like to thank the members of the Aviation Committee who volunteered their time and expertise to create this paper. A special appreciation goes to the sub-committee that drove this effort, led by Eric Boulter and Janie Hansen.”
Members of the media can obtain the paper by contacting Caleb Tiller at 703-684-0836 Ext. 38 or ctiller@nbta.org.
The National Business Travel Association is the source for critical information on the business travel industry. For more than 35 years, NBTA has dedicated itself to the professional development of its members through advocacy, education and training, and networking opportunities. NBTA represents over 2,500 corporate travel managers and travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than $170 billion of expenditures within the business travel industry.
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