American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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08APR15

Family Assistance Plan

This Plan was developed in accordance with the provisions of

49 U.S.C. §§ 41113 and 1136, and the Aviation Disaster Family

Assistance Act of 1996, as amended, and will be utilized by

American Airlines, US Airways and carriers doing business as 

American Eagle and US Airways Express. 
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (as on file with D.O.T.)

Introduction

The American Airlines Family Assistance Plan* ("the Plan") incorporates family 

assistance-related elements of the American Airlines Emergency Response Manual 

("ERM") and the Local Emergency Response Plan ("LERP"), and describes how 

American Airlines, US Airways and airlines doing business as American Eagle and 

US Airways Express* (“the Airline”) will provide assistance to passengers’ family 

members after an accident.** The Plan complies with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 

§§ 41113 and 1136.

The Airline will allocate resources sufficient to provide family assistance in the event 

of an accident, including retention of certain vendors possessing expertise in 

specialized family assistance services. All Airline personnel providing survivor and/or 

family assistance will be trained in crisis response, and will be required to 

demonstrate compassion, technical expertise and professionalism.

* The Plan also applies to the following carriers operating as American Eagle or US 

Airways Express: Air Wisconsin Airlines; Compass; Envoy; ExpressJet; Mesa Air; 

Piedmont Airlines; PSA Airlines; Republic Airlines; SkyWest Airlines; and Trans 

States Airlines. 

** The term "accident" refers to any aviation disaster, regardless of its cause, that is 

covered by the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996, as amended.
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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08APR15

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Principles of Family Assistance

The Airline subscribes to the following principles regarding assistance provided to 

survivors and family members:

 Survivors and families shall be treated with dignity and respect.

 The cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity of those involved shall be 

respected and accommodated wherever possible.

 Information shall be provided as promptly as possible.

 Wherever possible and appropriate, the airline will endeavor to meet the 

needs of the survivors and families.
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Commitment of Sufficient Resources

The Airline maintains corporate, departmental, and local 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, employees are assigned 

to functions including family assistance, accident investigation, media relations, and 

liaison with government agencies and support organizations. The Airline’s 

resources are directed through a command center network linked by worldwide 

communications.

The Airline establishes cooperative working relationships between all internal and 

external organizations involved in the crisis, and has specifically designed its 

emergency response structure to allow separate management of the crisis and 

continued safe operation of the Airline.

Initial Notification to the National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”)

The Airline’s Flight Safety Department is responsible for the accident notification to 

the NTSB Communications Center at 202-314-6290. 

The American Airlines Emergency Planning & Response department will provide a 

courtesy notification to the NTSB Communications Center requesting that the 

Transportation Disaster Assistance team be notified of the accident.
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Humanitarian Response Team

The Airline’s humanitarian response team for assisting survivors and/or family 

members is known as the Customer Assistance Relief Effort (CARE) Team. 

Comprised of specially-trained volunteer employees, CARE provides a conduit of 

communication between the Airline and survivors and/or family members following 

an accident, and facilitates necessary responsibilities. 

The Airline conducts training for new CARE Team members, as well as periodic 

recurrent training for all personnel identified as CARE Team members. The Airline 

also conducts periodic emergency drills to ensure comprehensive response and 

preparedness. Topics addressed during training include:

• Roles of CARE Team personnel, and the importance of family assistance after an 

accident;

• Elements of aviation accidents;

• Crisis communication skills;

• Family notification and initial contact process;

• Grief process;

• Support and logistics;

• Media relations; and

• Provision and consideration for the well-being of all team members.
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Uniform Provision of Assistance

The Airline provides uniform family assistance without regard to an individual’s 

status as a revenue customer, non-revenue passenger, or other victim of the 

accident.

In the event the Airline voluntarily provides family assistance to United States 

citizens within the United States as a result of an accident occurring outside the 

United States, the Airline will coordinate with appropriate personnel within the 

National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of State.

Managing Telephone Inquiries

The Airline will establish and publicize a dedicated toll-free telephone number with 

sufficient telephone capacity promptly after it has been confirmed that an aircraft 

operated by the Airline or doing business as the Airline has been involved in an 

accident. When disseminating the toll-free number, the Airline will ask the media to 

inform the public that only individuals who have a reason to believe a family member 

or friend is on the flight should use the number.

The toll-free number will be staffed by the Reservations Department, which is 

comprised of specially trained reservations agents. Emergency calls will be given 

the highest call answering priority.

 

Reservations representatives will answer questions, provide information authorized 

for release by the Airline, and gather relevant information. They will also have 

access to a preliminary passenger manifest for the purpose of identifying callers 

whose family members are believed to be aboard the accident flight. 

Once such callers are identified, a second group of volunteers who are fully CARE

Team trained and known as the RES CARE Team will establish contact as rapidly 

as possible with the immediate family of those believed to be aboard. The Airline 

will then provide a separate toll-free number to survivors and/or family members 

which can reach the RES CARE Team directly.
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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08APR15

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Notification and Preliminary Passenger List

For notification purposes, the Airline utilizes a preliminary passenger manifest 

comprised of passenger names and seat numbers. 

The Airline rapidly distributes the preliminary passenger manifest internally so the 

notification process can proceed while the list is further verified. Verification involves 

comparing ticket coupons and other verifying data at the departure airport to the list 

of those individuals holding reservations or desiring standby space aboard the flight. 

The Airline will provide passenger information to family members as it becomes 

known and will not wait until all names on the preliminary passenger manifest are 

verified before notifying individual family members. Family members will be notified if 

passenger's name appears on the preliminary passenger manifest and informed that 

further verification is necessary. 

Internal distribution of the preliminary passenger manifest and associated Passenger 

Name Records (PNRs) initiates the process of determining the passengers’ next-ofkin and establishing contact. This process includes identifying callers who have 

family members believed to be aboard the accident aircraft as described above,

making outbound calls where contact data is available, and in-person notifications, 

to the extent reasonably practicable. 

Once contact is established it will be maintained, including specific CARE Team 

Members dedicated to each survivor and family. After the immediate needs of the 

family members have been addressed following the accident, the family will be 

provided a contact name and telephone number with the airline for future requests 

for assistance.
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Provision of Passenger List

Immediately upon request, the Airline will provide a copy of the passenger manifest, 

based on the best information available at the time, to the NTSB Director of Family 

Support Services and the organization designated under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2) as 

having primary responsibility for coordinating the emotional care and support of the 

families. The Airline will periodically update and re-issue the passenger manifest as 

additional, confirmed information is received. Each copy will be conspicuously 

numbered or annotated with the date and time so it may be distinguished from 

previous copies. 

The Airline will transmit a list of the names of confirmed foreign nationals to the 

Department of State to facilitate interaction with appropriate foreign government 

personnel.

Release of Passenger Names 

The Airline will not release the Confirmed Manifest to the public, absent the 

presence of extenuating circumstances. Any decision to publicly release the 

Confirmed Manifest will be made by the Airline's senior executives based on an 

evaluation of the underlying circumstances.

Prior to any public release of the Confirmed Manifest, the Airline will verify that all 

passengers' families have been notified. To the extent possible, the Airline will honor 

requests by families not to release the names of their family members.
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Family Travel to Accident Location

The Airline will assist passengers' families in traveling to the location of the accident 

and will provide for the physical care of the families during their stay, including but 

not limited to transportation to the accident site or hospital location, lodging, meals, 

security, communications, and incidental expenses. A RES CARE individual will 

maintain daily contact with families who elect not to travel to the accident location 

until the on-scene investigation has concluded.

In order to assist family members as they travel to and from the accident location, 

the Airline will notify flight crews and airport personnel of family members aboard 

particular flights. At departure, connecting, and arrival airports, dedicated CARE

Team members will meet with and assist family members.

If requested, the Airline will work with the responsible authorities, including the 

NTSB, to arrange site visits by family members, as may be appropriate. Access to 

the accident site may be limited by terrain and/or hazardous materials concerns, 

security measures, or other unforeseen conditions.
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Security and Assistance at the Location of the Accident

To the extent practicable, the Airline will secure suitable facilities at departure, arrival 

and connecting airports for family members who may be initially gathering. These 

secure facilities will enable family members to achieve some privacy, and facilitate 

the provision of updates regarding the reconciliation of the passenger manifest and 

other accident information.

The Airline will also establish a facility near the accident site to be used as a Family 

Assistance Center. The Airline will make provision for a Joint Family Support 

Operations Center to include space, communication, and logistical support for the 

local and federal staff.

The Airline will assign CARE Team members trained in crisis response to meet 

privately with family members once they arrive at the accident location.

The Airline will assist family members as they depart the accident location and 

maintain contact until no longer appropriate. After the immediate needs of the family 

members have been addressed following the accident, the family will be provided a 

contact name and telephone number with the airline for future requests for 

assistance. 

The Airline will coordinate family access to briefings held by the NTSB or other 

government agencies. An Airline team will be assigned to the accident location with 

the equipment and procedures in place to identify and properly badge family 

members who elect to participate in the family assistance activities at the accident 

site.
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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08APR15

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

NTSB Public Hearings

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, 

the Airline will ensure that the proceeding is made available simultaneously at a 

location open to the public at the origin and destination cities of the subject flight, if 

those cities are in the United States.

Disposition of Remains and Personal Effects

Recovery, identification, and disposition of remains are the responsibility of the local 

medical examiner, coroner, or other designated authority. The Airline will comply 

with decisions made by the responsible authority, and will, to the extent practicable, 

consult with and communicate families' preferences regarding the disposition and 

handling of passenger remains.

The Airline will retain vendors experienced in recovery and restoration of personal 

effects. The Airline, or a representative of its vendor, will consult with families 

regarding belongings within the Airline's control that are identified as passenger 

possessions.

Personal effects will be offered for return to the families, regardless of their 

condition, unless required for the accident investigation or any criminal investigation.

Unclaimed personal effects will be retained by the Airline or its vendor for a period of 

at least 18 months. 
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08APR15 American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Association with Designated Organization

In the case of an aircraft accident where the NTSB and responsible organization 

respond, the Airline will establish a liaison with any organization designated under 

section 1136(a) (2) of Title VII, Section 703 of the Federal Aviation Reauthorization 

Act of 1996 on an ongoing basis to ensure that survivors and family members 

receive an appropriate level of services and assistance following such accident.

The Airline’s CARE Team Members will inquire whether survivors and/or family 

members desire assistance from the designated organization responsible for family 

care and mental health, and will coordinate such assistance with that organization.

Compensation of Designated Organization

The Airline will provide reasonable compensation to the organization designated by 

the Chairman of the NTSB under 49 U.S.C. § 1136(a)(2), if requested by that 

organization following an accident. The organization shall submit to the Airline for 

approval a summary of its planned activities and anticipated expenses prior to the 

organization’s mobilization or provision of such services.

Changes to the organization's planned activities and unanticipated expenses shall 

be coordinated with the Airline's designated point of contact for family assistance.

The organization will provide the Airline with invoices and itemized listings of 

services and expenses.

Monuments

The Airline will consult with survivors and/or the family of each passenger about 

construction by the Airline of any monument to the passengers, including any 

inscription on the monument. 

Should a monument be constructed, the Airline will consider all feedback from 

survivors and/or families along with the statutory and/or regulatory requirements or 

considerations of the place of construction. While it is preferable to have every 

survivor and/or families agree with the specific design, it may not be possible to 

obtain a full consensus. To avoid lengthy delays, the Airline will implement a plan 

agreeable to the majority of the families.

Each family will be given the option of including their passenger’s name if an 

inscription of the names is incorporated in the design.

Survivors and/or next-of-kin will be given an opportunity to visit the monument when 

construction is complete. 
American Airlines Family Assistance Plan

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American Airlines Family Assistance Plan (continued)

Significant Property Damage

If an accident results in significant damage to a manmade structure or other property 

on the ground that is not government-owned, the Airline will: Promptly provide, to the 

extent practicable, written notice to the property owner regarding any liability for 

property damage and means for obtaining compensation. The notice shall advise an 

owner:

 to contact the insurer of the property as the authoritative source for 

information about coverage and compensation;

 to not rely on unofficial information offered by air carrier representatives 

about compensation by the air carrier for accident-site property damage; 

and

 to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence of property damage as 

soon as possible after the accident, consistent with access restrictions at 

the site.

Contact

The principal point of contact regarding American Airlines Family Assistance Plan is:

Kerrie Dieringer

American Airlines

Director of Emergency Planning & Response 

4333 Amon Carter Blvd

Fort Worth, TX 76155

Phone: (817) 931-3579

Cell: (763) 360-0518

Email: kerrie.dieringer@aa.com