HYANNIS AIR SERVICE 

dba/CAPE AIR 

Part 121 

^rPARTMENT OF 

^:V,NSFORW!ON 

:--:TOPERATiONS 

Family Assistance Plan 

(Original Filed with the Department of Transportation and 

the National Transportation Safety Board 

October 29, 2010 
Family Assistance Plan 

Overview 

Cape Air's Family Assistance Plan describes the methods by which Cape Air, in cooperation 

with the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB) other governmental entities, and the 

American Red Cross, will provide family assistance after an aviation accident involving a flight 

operated by Cape Air. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that Cape Air's efforts are made in 

the best interests of survivors and families and to respect the cultural & religious backgrounds of 

survivors and families. 

Cape Air provides family assistance without regard to an individual's status as a revenue 

customer, non-revenue customer, or crew member. The Cape Air plan meets the provisions of 

the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. 

Certain specialized services that are required following an accident may be accomplished on 

behalf of Cape Air by vendors having expertise in those areas. 

Pre-Response Planning 

Committing Sufficient Resources 

Cape Air maintains agreements with providers who offer comprehensive emergency response 

and family assistance programs, which utilize a broad spectrum of human and technological 

resources in the event of an accident. During such crises, thousands of specially trained 

responders work around the clock on issues including family assistance, accident investigation, 

media relations, and liaisons with government agencies and support organizations. They are 

directed via a dedicated command center network linked by worldwide communications. 

Cape Air maintains a cooperative working relationship with the external organizations involved 

in a crisis and has designed its emergency response structure specifically to allow separate 

management of the crisis while continuing the safe operation of the airline. 

Cape Air Family Assistance 

Cape Air is not a member of the Family Assistance Foimdation at this time but we realize these 

resources are avaialbe to us. Every effort is made to ensure well trained volunteers are available 

in all areas served by Cape Air around the world and organized in a maimer that will allow for 

immediate mobilization. 
Family Assistance Plan 

Training 

In addition to the intensive training provided to family assistance teams, customer service 

training is also provided to persoimel in public-contact positions throughout the Cape Air 

system. Families may call any reservation office or may seek assistance at airports that are 

neither the origin nor the destination of the flight involved in an accident. As with any training 

program, enhancements are continually made to include lessons learned from survivors, family 

members, industry partners, and mental health professionals. 

Periodic simulations of Cape Air's comprehensive emergency response plan are made in 

cooperation with regular airport drill. In addition, Cape Air and its partners routinely coordinate 

with federal, state, and local authorities that have emergency responsibilities. 

Toll-free telephone number 

Cape Air will activate a toll-free telephone number within one hour after receiving information 

indicating that an aircraft operated by Cape Air has been involved in an accident and that there 

are serious injuries and/or fatalities. This number will be staffed by our Family Support Call 

Center. These trained individuals will provide information authorized for release by Cape Air 

Cape Air's Corporate Communications department and will collect contact information from 

inquiring individuals. 
Family Assistance Plan 

Passenger Manifest Ticket Reconciliation, and Notification 

Passenger Manifest and Ticket Reconciliation 

Immediately after the accident. Cape Air will begin the process to match the current 

computerized reservations (Passenger Name Records) for that flight with the ticket coupons and 

other verifying data that were collected at the departure airport(s.) All known passengers will be 

validated including those with reservations, standby tickets, rerouted tickets, jump seat 

authorization, and non-revenue passengers and crew. Unfortunately, this process can be delayed 

by persons traveling under different names, changing seats, and infants traveling without tickets. 

Accordingly, Cape Air's Reservations Sales policy prohibits the unauthorized release of this 

confidential, sensitive manifest information. 

Upon the request of the National Transportation Safety Board and/or the American Red Cross, a 

list of names of passengers aboard the aircraft (based on the best information available at the 

time of the request) will be sent to the NTSB Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance. Cape 

Air will ensure that the list is marked "preliminary and unconfirmed" and will continue to update 

it periodically. Although the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 does not state a 

time frame for this action, a preliminary list will be available within the first three hours. As 

names of persons on board are reconciled, the notification process can proceed while the 

remainder of the manifest continues to be verified. If citizens of countries other than the United 

States are on board, Cape Air will transmit a list of their names to the United States Department 

of State. 

Notifying Passengers' Families 

Specially trained persormel will notify the family of each passenger as soon as it appears that the 

individual was on board. Cape Air will not wait for all the names of passengers to be verified. 

However, identifying and contacting some passengers' next-of-kin may be delayed depending on 

the amount and accuracy of information available. Callers who have inquired about a name 

appearing on the manifest will be contacted until Cape Air is satisfied that the next-of-kin or the 

person who stated that they were the family's contact has been notified. As the passenger list is 

validated, subsequent incoming calls from family members will be routed to our call center 

provider for appropriate handling. 

Cape Air will not release a passenger's name publicly until after the next-of-kin has been 

notified. If the next-of-kin requests that the passenger's name not be made public. Cape Air will 

convey that information to the NTSB in order to honor the request. 
Family Assistance Plan 

Passenger Identification 

The local medical examiner or coroner in the county or location of the accident is responsible for 

the positive identification of fatalities and will provide official notification of death to the family. 

In cases where local capacity for victim identification and mortuary services is exceeded, this 

task may be supplemented by members of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. 

These teams (D-MORT) are organized and activated by the Public Health Service, a division of 

the US Department of Health and Human Services. For injured passengers, the hospital is 

responsible for periodic status updates and either the hospital or Cape Air will continue to advise 

the families. 

Family Access to the Accident Citv 

Cape Air will arrange for the family of a passenger to travel to the city nearest the accident if 

they so desire. Once at the location, family assistance persormel will be assigned and dedicated 

to each family to coordinate such things as accommodations, ground transportation, 

communications, the purchase of personal incidentals, visiting survivors in the hospitals, etc. If 

a family prefers, family assistance persoimel will be available to travel to the family's home 

location to provide personal assistance, communications, and logistical support. When requested 

by survivors or family members, professional counseling services will be made available through 

Cape Air close coordination with the American Red Cross which is responsible for mental health 

assistance. 

Cape Air will make provisions for a joint family support operations center to include space, 

communications, and logistical support for federal and American Red Cross staff. Cape Air will 

endeavor to secure a suitable facility to protect families fi-om intrusions by the media and by 

unwelcome solicitors. 

The National Transportation Safety Board has accident-site jurisdiction. Within site security 

limitations that these authorities establish. Cape Air will respond to family requests for visits to 

the accident scene. Access to the site may be limited by terrain, biohazard and/or hazardous 

materials concerns, security measures, or other unforeseen conditions. 

Cape Air's family assistance personnel will continue to assist family members as they depart the 

accident location and Cape Air personnel will maintain contact with the family until they advise 

that this is no longer necessary. 
Family Assistance Plan 

Human Remains and Personal Effects 

The local medical examiner or coroner in the county or location of the accident is responsible for 

the disposition of identifiable and unidentifiable human remains. Disaster Mortuary Operational 

Response Teams may be activated by the NTSB to assist with this process. Cape Air and its 

provider contracted to assist with these tasks will comply with decisions made by the responsible 

authorities and help to ensure that the families are advised as to the plans for disposition. The 

next-of-kin's wishes as to arrangements for remains identified as those of the passenger will be 

honored. 

Personal Effects 

Local authorities such as the medical examiner or coroner should return identifiable personal 

items to the passenger's family rather than having the airline become custodian of them and local 

authorities should determine disposition of unidentifiable personal effects. 

If personal items come into the airline's control. Cape Air or its provider will consult with each 

family about the disposition of the possessions. Unless requested otherwise, Cape Air or its 

vendor will describe to the next-of-kin the condition of each such possession and follow the 

direction of the next-of-kin as to the return or other disposition of such items regardless of their 

condition. Because specialized services such as the cleaning and restoration of personal effects 

may require a certain expertise, Cape Air has arranged for a contractor with this expertise to 

handle this with care on the airline's behalf After returning all possessions which can be 

associated with specific passengers, Cape Air will retain any unclaimed possessions which are 

within its control for no less than 18 months. Cape Air or its personal effects' vendor will create 

an inventory of these items and carefully store them. 

Monuments 

If the families express a desire for a monument at the accident site. Cape Air will consult with 

the family of each passenger about its construction, including any inscription on the monument. 

All comments and concerns from families (along with the statutory and/or regulatory 

requirements or considerations of the place of construction) will be given careful consideration. 

Each family will be given a choice of including or not including the passenger's name if an 

inscription of the names is plarmed in the agreed design. The goal will be to achieve a full 

consensus of all families on a specific design. Should that not be possible, in an effort to avoid 

lengthy delays, it may be necessary to implement a plan agreeable to the majority of the families. 

The next-of-kin will be given an opportunity to visit the monument when construction is 

complete. 
Family Assistance Plan 

Relationship with the American Red Cross 

Compensation to the American Red Cross 

A procedure will be developed to pay reasonable compensation to the American Red Cross for 

services provided by the organization. Cape Air has requested and expects to receive a plan of 

tasks and anticipated expenses prior to the American Red Cross' full deployment, consultation 

about costs as they are incurred, and an itemized list of services rendered and expenses to 

accompany the organization's invoice. 

Relationship with Domestic and International Partner Airlines 

Cape Air systematically works throughout the year on all elements of emergency response 

planning and procedures with the airlines having contracted partnership agreements with Cape 

Air . Goals include consistent terminology and structure, identification of mutual resources, 

maximum efficiency of resource deployment, cooperative management during drills and an 

accident response, etc. Cape Air is committed to providing each domestic connection or 

international code-share partner with assistance and support if they, as the operating carrier, have 

an accident. Conversely, in the event of a Cape Air accident, the partner airlines will provide 

assistance to meet language, resource, and personnel needs. 

Flight Reservation Information 

Cape Air will ensure that it will inform any family of a passenger on the flight involved in an 

accident, whether or not their family member's name appeared on any preliminary passenger 

manifests, if requested by the family. 

Training Of Employees And Agents 

Cape Air will ensure that all persoimel involved in supporting families are adequately trained in 

meeting the needs of survivors and family members following an accident. This includes both 

employees of Cape Air and its authorized providers. Cape Air is committed to training its 

employees and using providers who employ only the most recent best practices for supporting 

both passenger and family survivors following an accident. 

Accidents Occuring Outside the United States 

In the event of an accident involving a flight operated by Cape Air, but occurring outside of the 

United States, Cape Air will provide support to passengers and families that is consistent with 

the type of support that would be provided for accidents occuring within the United States. 

Furthermore, when providing support to passengers and families who are United States Citizens, 

Cape Air and its authorized providers will consult with both the National Transportation Safety 

Board and the US Department of State with respect to support for those persons 
Family Assistance Plan 

Damage To Man-Made Structures And Other Property On The Ground 

In the event that an accident involving an Cape Air flight causes damage to man-made structures 

or other property on the ground, Cape Air will provide written notice to the property owner(s) 

instructing them to contact their insurer(s) in order to obtain authoritative information with 

regard to coverage and compensation relating to the property damage and to advise them to 

obtain photographic or other detailed evidence of any property damage as soon as possible after 

the accident. 

NTSB Hearings Greater Than Eightv Miles From the Accident Site 

Should the National Transportation Safety Board conduct public hearings (or comparable 

hearings) at a location that is greater than eighty (80) miles from the accident site, Cape Air will 

provide a means to simultaneously broadcast the hearing by electronic means at both the 

originating and destination city of the flight that was involved in the accident, if those cities are 

located in the United States. 

Filing Airline Plan With DOT and NTSB 

Cape Air has filed this Plan as required by the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. 

In addition. Cape Air has submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board contact 

telephone numbers at its operational center, which can be used by the NTSB 24 hours per day, 

seven days per week.