So long as the company is buying the ticket, the company chooses the airline (United, Jetblue, Britishair, etc.).

The company has the choice of paying the change fee, scheduling flights that fit the meeting schedule, or have people dash out of the meeting to catch the plane.

"My carpool is leaving" is pretty much an inviolate excuse for leaving a meeting early. "My plane is leaving" ougjt to be too.

Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm