MIAMI, Florida (July 30, 2008) – More than 70 top-level executives representing more than 30 airlines have already registered for ALTA’s upcoming Aviation Crisis Preparedness Conference and Aviation Law Americas Conference taking place September 10-12, 2008 in Miami.

A limited number of spaces are available for registration, and information on sponsorship opportunities is available at www.alta.aero/crisispreparedness.

ALTA’s Aviation Crisis Preparedness Conference is designed to educate and arm executives with the crucial tools and information necessary to prepare and implement crisis preparedness plans specific to the aviation industry.

“This is a must-attend conference for anyone associated with aviation industry crisis preparedness, crisis management and crisis response efforts,” said ALTA executive director Alex de Gunten. “We, as an industry, must be prepared to effectively respond to and manage a vast array of crisis situations. After all, it’s not a matter of IF a crisis will occur, but WHEN.”

More than 30 airlines have already confirmed their participation, including top-level executives from Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air Jamaica, Aires, Aserca, Delta Connection, Avianca, Caribbean Airlines, Cayman Airways, Cielos Airlines, Copa Airlines, DHL, Emirates Airlines, Sky Airline, Iberia, Icaro, LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Peru, Liat Airlines, Mexicana, Nature Air, Pace Airlines, Pluna, Santa Barbara, TACA, TACA PERU, TAM-LINHAS AEREAS, TAM Mercosur, and Volaris.

An impressive roster of crisis preparedness experts specific to the aviation industry has been invited* and confirmed as speakers, including:

Robert Jensen – Kenyon Worldwide Disaster Management, President
Jaime Daly – Lima Airport Partners, President
Claudia Gomez Prieto – Sociedad Argentina de Psicologia en Emergencias y Desastres, President
Jeremy Shebson – Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, Partner
Fernando Rockert de Magalhaes – GOL Transportes Aereos, Vice President Operations*
Jerry Hendin – Alliance PR, Managing Partner
Larry Ganse – Copa Airlines, COO
Ed McLaughlin – FEI Behavioral Health, Executive Vice President
Miguel Mojica – TACA, Flight Safety Director
Carlos Herrera – Santiago Airport, Director of Operations
Eric Mayett – Aeromexico, Director of Security*
Sharon Bryson – NTSB Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance, Deputy Director *
Elizabeth Verdier – Boeing, Crisis Communications Expert
Marc Henderson – Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Media Relations Manager
David Rimmer – ExcelAir, Executive Vice President
Marco Franca – PR Newswire, Vice President Latin America
Tom Costello – NBC News, Washington Correspondent*
Don Phillips – previously a transportation writer for Washington Post and International Herald Tribune*
Gabriela Frias – Business Anchor, CNN en Espanol*
Joe Sharkey – New York Times, Business Travel Reporter*
Jose Miguel Rodriguez – Avion Revue, Chief Correspondent Latin America*
Alan Levin – USA Today, Aviation Reporter*
Steve Lott – IATA, Head of Communications NA
Robert McGeorge – IATA, General Counsel
Luiz Claudio Aguiar – TAM Linhas Aereas, Legal Director
Richard Gimblett – Barlow, Lyde and Gilbert, Partner
Jan VonFlatern – Airbus Americas, Senior Counsel*
Eduardo Iglesias – TACA, Legal Vice President
Greg Phillips – Willis Global Aviation, National Aviation Safety Consultant
George Snyder – Marsh, Senior VP Aviation & Aerospace Practice Safety & Security
Aileen Camacho – Gates and Partners, Senior Partner
Alan May – Aon, Managing Director
Enrique Beltranena – Volaris, CEO
*TBC

The two-day agenda encompasses the key aspects of aviation crisis preparedness and management, including what to expect when a crisis hits; case studies and lessons learned from previous incidents and accidents; operational implications and dealing with government investigating authorities during a crisis; crisis communications and dealing with key stakeholders and media; legal requirements and implications associated with an accident investigation; and managing risk and maintaining operations during a crisis, as well as a crisis communications and media training workshop.

Who should attend? Anyone associated with aviation industry crisis preparedness and crisis response efforts, including airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, aviation industry executives, crisis management executives, contingency planners, corporate communications and public relations consultants, crisis response products and services suppliers, emergency response executives, executives responsible for family assistance, aircraft manufacturers, aviation insurers, aviation insurance brokers, government agencies, legal counsels, and safety and security executives.

For additional information and sponsorship opportunities, contact ALTA’s Special Events Manager Sonya Lima at 1-786-522-7824/[email protected], or ALTA’s Director of Communications and Aviation Crisis Preparedness Conference Chair Misty Pinson at [email protected].