What does payment have to do with it? A little common sense & a little respect for people is not nullified just because money has paid hands.

This wasn't a choice between keeping his wife alive and speaking at a conference, or annulling a marriage! His wife knew he'd be speaking at a conference. She's an adult and is surely able to read a newspaper at a coffee shop, find an art gallery or whatever else for a couple of hours.

Non-speaker could've insisted on speaking to his wife to arrange a time to meet afterwards, fulfilled his presentation/speech, then written a complaint about lack of flexibility later.

If I am invited to a conference and even if I tweak the flight arrangement so they pay for my wife's ticket to suit my person plans, I don't expect that my wife will be allowed inside for free.

Sounded like a pretty awkward situation as it was handled (shouldn't have been led on, and should've been encouraged to speak with his wife to arrange a meeting time later), but the non-speaker seemed a little precious to me.