Aircraft Builders Council Spring Conference in London Held Despite Iceland Volcano

The April 16-19, 2010 Aircraft Builders Council, Inc. Spring Meeting at the Royal Automobile Club in Surrey, England moved forward despite the halt to air traffic over European airspace beginning April 14.   

British civil aviation authorities ordered the country's airspace closed as of noon on Thursday, April 15, due to concerns that the cloud of ash drifting from the erupting Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland would harm aircraft engines and create safety risks for passengers. The resulting volcanic ash left thousands of passengers stranded in the largest European aviation shutdown since World War II.

Several ABC leaders with flights prior to April 15 successfully arrived in London.  ABC made the decision to move forward with the event as many of the participants were from the London area.   American participants who arrived in London before travel restrictions went into effect were able to return to the United States beginning Friday, April 23, when the airspace was gradually reopened for flights.

Harrington Company staff member Gretchen Huetteman, ABC’s Administrative Director, was prepared with bags packed to make her Friday, April 16 flight only to have the flight canceled a few hours before takeoff.  Along with the other American meeting participants whose flights were canceled, Gretchen was able to participate in the meetings via conference call. 

She expressed the importance of adding “Act of God” clauses to event contracts to protect associations from hotel food and beverage, guest rooms, and meeting space obligations in cases such as these. The ABC Spring Meeting is held each year in the London area, and geological events permitting, Gretchen and the other American participants unable to attend this year will join ABC in London for the 2011 Spring Meeting, to be hosted again at the Royal Automobile Club.

About the Aircraft Builders Council, Inc.

Since its formation in 1955, when aviation products liability coverage was in its infancy and not readily available on the open markets, the Aircraft Builders Council, Inc. has provided aviation products liability insurance and continues to be the leader in developing coverage to satisfy the dynamic needs of the industry that it serves. Participants in the program may now secure coverage limits of up to USD 1 billion.