Volcanic ash cloud impacts in retrospect

A recent survey of 372 US-based corporate travel managers reveals that 85 percent of respondents say their organizations were affected — in the form of stranded passengers, extended hotel stays and cancelled meetings — by the volcanic ash cloud that emanated from Iceland this past April, resulting in cancelled flights to and from Western Europe as the crisis played out.

Additionally, 33 percent of respondents (primarily corporate travel managers with additional representation from security, human resources, business continuity and other functional areas) rated the financial impact to their organizations and associated travel disruptions as "moderate" to "significant" in scope.

An overwhelming majority of respondents (86 percent) said that the crisis reminded them of the unpredictability that's always present when their employees travel, and that it will affect their ongoing business continuity planning.

The survey was conducted during a webinar last week by International SOS, the international healthcare, medical assistance and security services company, in conjunction with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), a leading trade association for the industry.

One in five survey respondents (20 percent) indicated their organizations have enabled or expanded their real-time travel data and reporting capabilities since the ash cloud event. Fifty-five percent said their organizations already had such systems in place, in advance of the ash cloud event. However, 25 percent who answered the survey stated their organization does not have a real-time travel data system in place.

"The ash cloud event that occurred earlier this year demonstrated the value of having travel executives as key contributors to crisis and business continuity teams, and of having an integrated, travel risk management program in place," International SOS Group executive vice president Tim Daniel said. "More and more, companies want to have this capability in place before they need it — not after."

The survey follows the recent release of ‘Every Ash Cloud Has a Silver Lining,’ a briefing from International SOS and ACTE which examines the ash cloud events.

•Date: 21st Sept 2010 • Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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