Contacts:
Dan Hubbard, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Frederique Luca, fluca@ebaa.org
Washington, DC, March 15, 2020 – The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced the decision to cancel the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2020 (EBACE2020), due to concerns related to the rapidly evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The event was scheduled to take place in Geneva from May 26-28, 2020.
Both business aviation groups have closely monitored the COVID-19 spread, which has prompted daily, evolving announcements from government and medical authorities in the U.S. and Europe, impacting large public gatherings, travel planning and other decision-making.
The partner organizations’ decision came as the Swiss authorities announced that all events of more than 100 people will be banned until at least April 30. The Swiss authorities have also said they would reintroduce Schengen border checks.
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said, “As with all NBAA events, we view our participants as partners, whose health and well-being is our foremost concern, and that priority is front and center in our decision to cancel EBACE2020.”
EBAA Secretary-General Athar Husain Khan said, “This is the hardest decision EBAA’s Management and Board of Governors have had to make in years. But given the unprecedented circumstances, we had no other choice. We must do everything we can to help protect against exposure to COVID-19, and mitigate any risks associated with the spread of the virus.”
The two cosponsoring partners have agreed that exhibit and registration fees will be refunded in full. For more information, attendees should write to registration@ebace.aero, and exhibitors should write to exhibits@ebace.aero.
Bolen added, “We will keep our international partners and members informed with regard to how this challenging public health situation impacts events in the coming months.”
The latest information regarding the status of NBAA events in light of COVID-19 is available at nbaa.org/coronavirus.
The latest available EBAA updates on the COVID-19 outbreak can be found at ebaa.org/newsroom.
Media with questions about the EBACE cancellation can contact EBAA’s Frederique Luca at fluca@ebaa.org, or NBAA’s Dan Hubbard at dhubbard@nbaa.org.
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The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is the leading organisation for operators of business aircraft in Europe. Our mission is to enable responsible, sustainable growth for business aviation, enhance connectivity and create opportunities. EBAA works to improve safety standards and share knowledge, to further positive regulation and to ease all aspects of closely tailored, flexible, point to point air transportation for individuals, governments, businesses and local communities in the most time-efficient way possible. Founded in 1977 and based in Brussels, EBAA represents +700 members companies, corporate operators, commercial operators, manufacturers, airports, fixed-based operators, and more, with a total fleet of +1,000 aircraft. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, or visit our website on www.ebaa.org.
Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 companies and professionals and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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International Business Aviation Council Ltd.