NBAA's SDC 2020 Goes Out Quietly

NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, ended a day early yesterday, caught up in the growing tide of Covid-19-induced event cancellations and postponements that also includes major sports events. Faced with these facts, NBAA’s leadership felt they had no choice but to pull the plug on the conference.

According to NBAA, 90 percent of the approximately 500 scheduled exhibitors attended the show, a number that corresponds to an informal count of empty booths on the show floor conducted by AIN. What was difficult to measure was the decline of attendees who either decided to skip the show or who were not permitted to attend by their companies due to travel restrictions.

By one estimate provided to AIN, as many as 40 flight departments canceled their attendance, but while the number of show-goers was definitely diminished, exhibitors who spoke with us said they had good conversations with the attendees and were able to spend more quality time with them.

The announcement to cancel today's programming came after the first set of educational sessions yesterday. NBAA representatives entered each meeting room and after the session concluded made the announcement, which was also sent via email. People were seen immediately using their smartphones to make alternate travel arrangements and the show floor, which was already slated to close that afternoon, soon emptied.