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GAROFALO GOERLICH HAINBACH PC

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WASHINGTON DC 20036-6802 

AARON A. GOERLICH TELEPHONE 202 776-3970 

DIRECT DIAL 202 776-3974 FACSIMILE 202 776-3975 

AGOERLICH@GGH-AIRLAW.COM WWW.GGH-AIRLAW.COM

September 14, 2011 

VIA ELECTRONIC DELIVERY

Ms. Dorothy Beard 

Chief, Documentary Services 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

 Re: Docket DOT-OST-1998-3304 – Family Assistance Plans 

Dear Ms. Beard: 

 Pursuant to the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, attached please find 

the Family Assistance Plan for Nordic Global Airlines Oy d/b/a Nordic Global Airlines Ltd. 

This information, as well as a 24-hour emergency contact number has also been provided 

to National Transportation Safety Board.

 If you have any questions concerning Nordic Global Airlines, please let us know. Thank 

you. 

 Sincerely, 

 Aaron A. Goerlich 

 Erin M. Tallardy 

 Counsel for Nordic Global Airlines Oy 

cc: Robert Finamore, DOT 
FAMILY ASSISTANCE 

PLAN

Copyright © 2011

Nordic Global Airlines LTD

All Rights Reserved

Revision Number: 1

Revision Date:05.09.2011 
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Revision Record Family Assistance Plan 

Revision Incorporation

Rev. no Effective date Date By

Initia1 15.8.2011 15.8.2011 THF

Rev 1 05.09.2011 05.09.2011 THF
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BASIS FOR THE PLAN .................................................................................................1.1

TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER ..........................................................................1.1

NOTIFICATION PROCESS ...........................................................................................1.2

NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES ................................................1.2

FAMILY ASSURANCES ...............................................................................................1.2

MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION ..................................................................................1.3

TREATMENT OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS ..............................................1.3

ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS .....................................................1.3

COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES PROVIDED ........................................................1.3

FAMILY TRAVELING TO ACCIDENT SITE .............................................................1.4

RESOURCES/TRAINING COMMITMENT .................................................................1.4

NOTICE CONCERNING LIABILITY FOR MAN-MADE STRUCTURES ................1.4

SIMULTANEOUS ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF NTSB HEARING ..............1.4

LIABILITY ......................................................................................................................1.4

PLAN FILING REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................1.5
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1. BASIS FOR THE PLAN

The Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act of 1997, as amended by the Wendell H. Ford

Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century and the Vision 100-Century of

Aviation Reauthorization Act (the "Act"), applies to most foreign air carriers holding

economic authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation ("DOT" or "Department").

The Act requires that such carriers file with the National Transportation Safety Board

("NTSB") and the Department a plan for addressing the needs of families of passengers

involved in an aircraft accident that occurs within the United States, that involves an aircraft

under its control, and that results in a major loss of life (an "aircraft accident" or "accident").

The Act requires such plans to include certain assurances and information regarding the

foreign air carriers' intended communications with families.

Accordingly, Nordic Global Airlines LTD. ("NGA") is submitting this Family Assistance Plan

(the "Plan"), which is intended to promote: (1) the best interests of surviving passengers and

families of passengers involved in an aircraft accident, (2) treating survivors and families

with dignity, and (3) respect for the cultural and religious backgrounds of survivors and

families.

NGA operates all-cargo service to and from the United States using jet freighter aircraft and

thus will carry few people aboard its flights. Only the flight crew and other employees of

NGA, such as mechanics or a loadmaster, will routinely be aboard aircraft operated by NGA.

Couriers accompanying cargo shipments, representatives of charterers or shippers, other

airline flight crewmembers, or FAA observers also may be aboard. The Act defines

"passenger" as including employees of air carriers or foreign air carriers aboard an aircraft,

as well as any other passenger aboard an aircraft, regardless of status. Accordingly, NGA

will apply this Plan to all persons aboard an aircraft operated by NGA under its DOT

authority to provide foreign air transportation. The terms "persons" and "passengers" are

both used in this Plan as the context requires. There is no intention to make any distinction

between the terms for purposes of this Plan. 

As a Finnish carrier, NGA also operates in Finland and other countries. If it volunteers

assistance to United States citizens within the United States with respect to an aircraft

accident outside the United States involving major loss of life, NGA will consult with the

NTSB and the U.S. Department of State on the provision of such assistance.

2. TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER

In the event of an aircraft accident involving an aircraft operated by NGA, NGA will establish

a reliable, toll-free telephone number and provide personnel to handle calls to such number

from the families of all persons aboard the aircraft. NGA will publicize the toll-free number by

providing it to the DOT, the NTSB, the organization designated for the accident by the NTSB

under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2), and the news media. NGA will provide the toll-free number to

the foregoing as soon as practicable after NGA confirms that one of its aircraft was involved

in an accident and that the accident resulted in a major loss of life. The toll-free number also

will be provided to any other group or person that requests it. NGA will provide suitably
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trained personnel to answer calls to the toll-free number, and it will use its emergency

response procedures to provide the personnel required for this purpose. The emergency

response personnel will be prepared to answer questions likely to be asked by families of

persons aboard the aircraft.

Families that call the toll-free number will be updated on the accident as information

becomes available.

3. NOTIFICATION PROCESS

NGA will notify the immediate families of persons aboard an aircraft operated by NGA that is

involved in an accident, before providing any public notice of the names of the passengers,

by using the services of the American Red Cross or other organization designated for the

accident by the NTSB under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2) if such reliance is practical. Otherwise,

NGA will use the services of its own personnel who have been suitably trained to provide

this notification. NGA recognizes the Act's preference for in-person notification to the extent

practicable.

NGA will provide notice to the immediate family of any person aboard the aircraft as soon as

NGA has verified that the person was aboard the aircraft, whether or not the names of all the

persons aboard the aircraft have been verified. For purposes of this Plan, immediate family

means a passenger's parent or legal guardian, spouse, child, brother or sister, or nearest

living relative.

In most cases, the only persons aboard the aircraft will be employees of NGA. Thus,

verification of the persons on board should be completed quickly. NGA maintains personnel

records that include the necessary contact information. In the case of passengers other than

NGA employees, contact information is collected at the time the passenger boards the

aircraft, and NGA will verify contact information for such passengers prior to providing notice

to the immediate family of such passengers.

4. NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES

Immediately upon request, NGA will provide to the director of family support services

designated for the accident under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(1), and to the American Red Cross or

other organization designated for the accident under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2), a list of names

of the persons aboard the aircraft based on the best information available at the time the list

was requested, regardless of whether or not such names have been verified. NGA will

update the list of passengers periodically based on new information. All lists will be date and

time stamped so recipients know that they have the most current version.

5. FAMILY ASSURANCES

The family of each passenger will be consulted about the disposition of all remains and

personal effects of the passenger that are within the control of NGA and, if requested by the

family, any possession (regardless of condition) of the passenger will be returned to the
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family unless it is required for the accident investigation or a criminal investigation. Normally,

authorities should return identifiable personal effects to the passenger's family rather than

having NGA assume possession of them. Authorities also should determine the disposition

of any unidentifiable personal effects. If NGA obtains control of any unclaimed pas enger

possession, it will retain that possession for not less than eighteen (18) months after the

date of the accident.

The local medical examiner or coroner is responsible for the positive identification of

fatalities. If a passenger has died, the medical examiner or coroner will provide official

notification of death to the passenger's family. The medical examiner or coroner is

responsible for the disposition of identifiable and unidentifiable human remains.

For injured passengers, the hospital to which they are admitted is responsible for status

updates. However, to the extent NGA has information on the condition of such passengers,

it will share such information with their immediate families.

6. MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION

Should NGA decide to construct a monument in the United States to the passengers aboard

an NGA aircraft involved in an accident, NGA will consult the immediate family of each

passenger regarding the construction and any inscription to be included on the monument.

NGA will honor a request from a passenger's immediate family to remove any reference to

that passenger's name from the monument or to omit that passenger's name from any

dedication speech for the monument.

7. TREATMENT OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS

NGA will provide equal treatment under this Plan to the families of all passengers,

regardless of whether they were revenue or nonrevenue passengers.

8. ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

NGA will work with the American Red Cross, or any other organization designated for the

accident by the NTSB under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2), on an ongoing basis to ensure that

family members of passengers receive an appropriate level of services and assistance

following an accident.

9. COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY DESIGNATIED 

ORGANIZATION.

NGA will provide reasonable compensation to the American Red Cross or other organization

designated for the accident under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2) for services and assistance

provided by the organization to the families of persons aboard a NGA aircraft operated by

NGA that is involved in an accident. NGA will expect the designated organization to provide

a detailed accounting of services and assistance for which compensation is to be provided.
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10. FAMILY TRAVELING TO ACCIDENT SITE

NGA will assist the immediate families of persons aboard a NGA aircraft involved in an

accident in traveling to the location of the accident and provide for their physical care while

they are staying at such location.

11. RESOURCES/TRAINING COMMITMENT

NGA will commit sufficient resources to carry out this Plan. It will provide adequate training

to its employees and agents likely to be involved in family assistance functions so that NGA

can meet the needs of survivors and family members following an accident.

12. NOTICE CONCERNING LIABILITY FOR MAN-MADE STRUCTURES

In the case of an accident that results in significant damage to a man-made structure or

other property on the ground that is not government-owned, NGA will promptly provide

written notice, to the extent practicable, directly to the owner of the structure or other

property about liability for any property damage and means for obtaining compensation. At a

minimum, the written notice will advise the owner:

1. to contact the insurer of the property as the authoritative source for information about 

coverage and compensation;

2. not to rely on unofficial information offered by NGA' representatives about compensation by NGA for accident-site property damage; and

3. to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence of property damage as soon as possible after the accident, consistent with restrictions on access to the accident site.

13. SIMULTANEOUS ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF NTSB HEARING

In the case of an accident in which the NTSB conducts a public hearing or comparable

proceeding at a location greater than 80 miles from the accident site, NGA will ensure that

the proceeding is made available simultaneously by electronic means at a location open to

the public at both the origin city and destination city of the flight operated by NGA if that city

is located in the United States.

14. LIABILITY

NGA shall not be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or State court

alleging negligence arising out of its performance in preparing or providing a passenger list

pursuant to this Plan.
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15. PLAN FILING REQUIREMENTS

The foregoing Plan and subsequent amendments will be filed with the U.S. Department of

Transportation and the NTSB in accordance with the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act

of 1997, as subsequently amended.
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