March 28, 2011 

Via Electronic Submission

Docket DOT-OST-1998-3304 

Docket Operations Facility 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

 Re: PrivaJet Ltd 

 Family Assistance Plan, Docket DOT-OST-1998-3304 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Foreign Carrier Family Support Act of 1997, as 

amended by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act of 1997 and 

Vision 100 — Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act., PrivaJet Ltd hereby submits a 

Family Assistance Plan outlining the means by which PrivaJet will meet the needs of 

families of PrivaJet passengers and crewmembers involved in accidents within the United 

States. 

PrivaJet’s 24-hour operations number has been provided to the NTSB under 

separate cover and is not for public disclosure. 

 Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions regarding the attached plan. 

 

 

 Respectfully Submitted, 

 

 Joanne W. Young 

 Counsel for PrivaJet Ltd 

 Enclosure 
PrivaJet Ltd 

Aviation Family Assistance Plan 

March 2011 

The plan is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of the Foreign 

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

Aviation Investment and Reform Act of 1997 and Vision 100 — Century 

of Aviation Reauthorization Act. 

PrivaJet’s 24-hour operations number has been provided to the NTSB 

under separate cover and is not for public disclosure. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

1. Overview 1 

2. Pre-Response Planning 1 

2.1. Committing Sufficient Resources 1 

2.2. PrivaJet’s Special Assistance Team 1 

2.3. Training 2 

2.4. Toll-Free Telephone Number 2 

3. Passenger Reconciliation And Notification 2 

3.1. Reconciliation 

3.2. Notifying Passengers’ Families 3 

3.3. Equal Treatment of Passengers 

3.4. Notification of NTSB in Accordance With 49 C.F.R. § 830.5 3 

3.5. Notification Concerning Liability for Man-Made Structures 3 

4. Passenger Identification 4 

5. Family Access to the Accident Site 4 

6. Human Remains and Personal Effects 4 

6.1. Personal Effects 5 

6.2. Monuments 5 

7. Relationship With Designated Independent Organization 6 

7.1. Compensation of Designated Organization 6 

8. Provision of Simultaneous Electronic Transmission of National 

Transportation Safety Board Hearing 

6 

9. Filing Airline Plan with DOT and NTSB 6 

10. Consultation on Carrier Response Not Covered by Plan 6 
1. Overview 

PrivaJet Family Assistance Plan (“Plan”) describes the methods by which PrivaJet, in 

cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board, other governmental entities, 

the designated independent organization and third parties, will provide family assistance 

after an aviation accident involving a flight in foreign air transportation operated by 

PrivaJet has occurred within the United States. The purpose of the Plan is to ensure that 

PrivaJet’s efforts are made in the best interests of survivors and families and to respect 

the cultural and religious backgrounds of survivors and families. 

PrivaJet provides family assistance without regard to an individual’s status as a revenue 

customer, non-revenue customer, or crewmember. As used in this plan, the terms 

“customer” and “passenger” both include employees of PrivaJet aboard an aircraft and 

any other persons aboard a PrivaJet aircraft without regard to whether the person paid for 

the transportation. The Plan fulfills the requirements of 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 (AIR-21) and Vision 100 — Century of Aviation 

Reauthorization Act (Vision 100) codified at 49 U.S.C. § 41313. 

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

on behalf of PrivaJet by vendors having expertise in those areas. 

2. Pre-Response Planning 

2.1. Committing Sufficient Resources 

PrivaJet will commit sufficient resources to carry out this Plan. PrivaJet will implement 

comprehensive emergency response and family assistance programs that utilize a broad 

spectrum of human and technological resources in the event of an accident. During such 

crises, specially trained employees throughout the organization will work around the 

clock on issues including family assistance, accident investigation, media relations, and 

liaison with government agencies and support organizations. 

PrivaJet will establish 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. 

2.2. PrivaJet’s Emergency Committee 

The Emergency Committee (“EC”), headed by PrivaJet’s CEO and staffed by organized 

and trained PrivaJet employees will be activated to enhance communication between 

PrivaJet and the families affected by an accident and to respond to needs the families may 

have. 

2.3. Training 

Since the customers of PrivaJet flights to and from the United States are primarily 

persons other than United States citizens, families will be directed to call our toll free 
number. PrivaJet will provide adequate training to its employees and agents to meet the 

needs of survivors and family members following an accident. Periodic simulations of 

PrivaJet’s comprehensive emergency response plan are made in conjunction with regular 

airport drills. 

2.4. Toll-Free Telephone number 

On request, an NTSB-designated, independent non-profit organization will establish a 

toll-free telephone number on behalf of PrivaJet within one (1) hour of PrivaJet’s head 

office receiving information indicating that an aircraft operated by PrivaJet has been 

involved in an event and that there are serious injuries and/or fatalities. At the same time 

PrivaJet will publish the telephone number if its own Passenger Inquiry Center, to cover 

all needs of our customers. The toll-free number will be provided to the media, the police 

and fire department at the site of the accident as soon as it is established. Only 

information authorized for release will be provided. 

3. Passenger Reconciliation and Notification 

3.1. Reconciliation 

In the case of a PrivaJet flight accident within the United States, PrivaJet will -- upon the 

request of the NTSB -- provide the director of family support services designated for the 

accident under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(l) and/or the organization designated for the accident 

under § 1136(a)(2) a list of names of passengers aboard the aircraft. This list will be 

based on the airline’s best available information at the time of request. All passenger 

manifests shall be considered and marked as “preliminary and unconfirmed.” However, 

the passenger manifest will be updated periodically. If foreign nationals are verified to 

be on board, PrivaJet will transmit a list of their names to the United States Department 

of State. 

3.2. Notifying Passengers’ Families 

Specially trained personnel, designated by the EC, will notify the family of each 

passenger as soon as it appears that the individual was on board. This notification will be 

provided in person to the extent practicable and as soon as possible after the identity of 

the passenger has been verified. We will not wait for all the names of passengers to be 

verified before releasing the names of known passengers. This will enable a quick flow 

of information at both the place of departure and arrival, and will continue 24 hours per 

day. 

Identifying and contacting some passengers’ next-of-kin may be delayed, depending on 

the amount and accuracy of information available. PrivaJet will not release a passenger’s 

name publicly or to individual callers until after the next-of-kin has been notified. If the 

next-of-kin requests that the passenger’s name not be made public, PrivaJet will convey 

that information to the NTSB in an effort to do everything possible to honor the request. 
3.3. Equal Treatment Of Passengers. 

The treatment of the families of non-revenue passengers will be the same as the treatment 

of families of revenue passengers. 

3.4. Notification of NTSB In Accordance With 49 C.F.R. § 830.5 

Upon learning of an aircraft accident, PrivaJet will immediately notify the nearest NTSB 

field office and provide the following information, if available: 

1) Type, nationality, and registration marks of the aircraft; 

2) Name of the owner and operator of the aircraft; 

3) Name of the pilot-in-command; 

4) Date and time of the accident; 

5) Last point of departure and point of intended landing of the aircraft; 

6) Position of the aircraft with reference to some easily defined geographical point; 

7) Number of persons aboard, number killed, and number seriously injured; 

8) Nature of the accident, the weather over the accident site, and the extent of 

damage to the aircraft so far as is known; and 

9) A description of any explosives, radioactive materials, or other dangerous articles 

carried on the flight. 

3.5. Notification 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 that is not government-owned, PrivaJet will promptly provide written 

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

advising the owner: 

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

about coverage and compensation; 

2) to not rely on unofficial information offered by PrivaJet’s representatives about 

compensation by PrivaJet 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. 

4. Passenger Identification 

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

and will provide official notification of death to the family. In cases where local capacity 

is exceeded, this task may be supplemented by members of the disaster mortuary team. 
For injured passengers, the hospital is responsible for periodic status updates and either 

the hospital or PrivaJet will continue to advise the families. 

5. Family Access To The Accident Site 

PrivaJet will assist a passenger’s family in traveling to the location of the accident if they 

so desire. Once at the location, specific PrivaJet Air personnel assisted by a third party 

will be assigned and dedicated to the families to provide for their physical care, e.g., by 

coordinating accommodations, ground transportation, communication, the purchase of 

personal incidentals, and visiting survivors in the hospitals. 

PrivaJet will make provisions for a joint family support operations center to include 

space, communications, and logistical support for federal investigators and the designated 

organization’s staff. PrivaJet will endeavor to secure a suitable facility to protect families 

from intrusions by the media and by unwelcome solicitors. 

The National Transportation Safety Board has accident-site jurisdiction. NTSB may limit 

access to the site for reasons of terrain, biohazard and/or hazardous materials, security 

measures, or other unforeseen conditions. Within these site security limitations, PrivaJet 

will respond to victim-family requests for visits to the accident scene. 

PrivaJet representatives will continue to assist family members as they depart the 

accident location and will maintain contact with the family until it is no longer necessary. 

6. Human Remains And Personal Effects 

The medical examiner or coroner is responsible for the disposition of identifiable and 

unidentifiable human remains. The NTSB may activate disaster mortuary teams to assist 

with this process. 

PrivaJet will comply with decisions made by the responsible authorities and help to 

ensure that the families are advised as to the plans for disposition. We will honor the 

next-of-kin’s wishes regarding arrangements for remains identified as those of the 

passenger. 

6.1. Personal Effects 

Authorities should return identifiable personal effects to the passenger’s family rather 

than entrusting them to PrivaJet. Local authorities should determine disposition of 

unidentifiable personal effects. 

If personal effects come into the airline’s control, unless the effects are needed for 

investigation of the accident or for a criminal investigation, PrivaJet or its designee will 

consult with each family about the disposition of the items. PrivaJet or its designee will 

describe to the next-of- kin the condition of each such possession and follow the next-ofkin’s direction as to the return or other disposition of such items regardless of their 

condition. PrivaJet will designate an experienced subcontractor who will commit 
sufficient resources to provide services, including, but not limited to, recovery, cleaning, 

and restoration of personal effects, liaison with relatives, eventual repatriation, and final 

disposition of remains. 

After returning all possessions that can be associated with specific passengers, PrivaJet 

Air will retain any unclaimed possessions within its control for no less than 18 months. 

6.2. Monuments 

If the families express a desire for a monument at the accident site, PrivaJet will consult 

each of them 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 should the agreed design contain victims’ names in an inscription. If it 

is impossible to obtain a unanimous agreement from the families, PrivaJet may 

implement a plan agreeable to the majority of the families. 

The closest family members will be given an opportunity to visit the monument when 

construction is complete. 

7. Relationship With Designated Independent Organization 

PrivaJet will establish a liaison with the independent, non-profit organization that the 

NTSB designates under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2) in order to work together on an ongoing 

basis. The goals will be to ensure that mental health and counseling services, as well as 

any other appropriate services, are provided to families following an accident. 

7.1. Compensation Of Designated Organization 

A procedure will be developed to pay reasonable compensation for services provided to 

the independent, non-profit organization that the NTSB designates under 49 U.S.C. § 

1136(a)(2). PrivaJet will request a plan of tasks and anticipated expenses prior to the 

designated organization’s full deployment, a consultation about costs as they are 

incurred, and an itemized list of services rendered and expenses to accompany the 

organization’s invoice. 

8. Provision Of Simultaneous Electronic Transmission 

of National Transportation Safety Board 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, PrivaJet will ensure 

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

open to the public at both the origin and destination of the flight, provided that city is 

located in the United States. 
9. Filing Airline Plan With DOT And NTSB 

PrivaJet has filed this Plan as required by the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act of 

1997, as amended by AIR-21 and Vision 100. In addition, PrivaJet has submitted to the 

National Transportation Safety Board contact telephone numbers at its operational center 

that can be used by the NTSB 24 hours per day, seven days per week. 

10. Consultation On Carrier Response Not Covered By Plan 

In the event PrivaJet volunteers assistance to United States citizens within the United 

States with respect to an aircraft accident outside the United States involving a major loss 

of life, PrivaJet will consult with the NTSB and the U.S. Department of State, on the 

provision of the assistance. 

(k) PrivaJet – PrivaJet Family Assistance Plan