KLM 114-Q2.97 

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KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines .~:.-.:c:,,T r-::: 

Dockets - Dockets OST 96-1960 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room PL 401 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

United States of America 

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SPUQG.15.005 

01 May, 2015 

subject KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines Family Assistance Plan 

In accordance with the U.S. operating permit requirements for air carriers, please find 

attached our plan to address the needs of families of passengers involved in an 

aviation disaster. The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Family Assistance Program has been 

developed to comply with the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 (49 

U.S.C. 1136 and 41113) and U.S. Public Law No. 108-176, DEC. 12, 2003, Century of 

Aviation Reauthorization Act, Section. 809, Availability of Aircraft Accident Site 

Information, paragraph (a) Domestic Air Transportation. 

Additionally, please be advised that our Operations Control Center may be reached 

24 hours at: 

If you have any questions you may contact the undersigned at: 

Telephone: 

e-mail: 

Sincerely yours, 

Kees van der Louw 

Manager Emergency Response Planning 

Attachment: 1 

P.O. Box 7700, 1117 ZL Schiphot Airport 

The Netherlands 

Telex: 11252 

Trade Register Amsterdam no 33014286 
80nds 

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KLM ·= Royal Dutch Airlines 

Overview 

The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) Family Assistance Plan describes the processes and 

procedures by which KLM, in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), 

its alliance partner in the United States, other governmental agencies, and the designated 

independent organization, will provide assistance to families after an aircraft accident involving a 

flight operated by KLM. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that KLM's efforts are made in the 

best interests of survivors and families and to respect the privacy, and cultural and religious 

backgrounds of survivors and families. 

KLM provides family assistance without regard to the individual's status as a revenue 

passenger, non-revenue passenger, or crew member. KLM's Family Assistance Plan exceeds 

the minimum provisions of the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996, the Foreign Air 

Carrier Family Assistance Act of 1997 and all subsequent revisions. 

In order to ensure a timely response to an accident in the United States of America, involving a 

flight operated by KLM, an agreement has been concluded with KLM's alliance partner in the 

Unites States. KLM's US alliance partner will act as a first responder in these cases and will act 

on behalf of KLM until such time that KLM's Go Team has arrived on scene. 

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

behalf of KLM by vendors having expertise in those areas. Some of these vendors may be 

activated on behalf of KLM by its US alliance partner. 

Family Assistance Plan Date: 1 May 2015 Page 2 of 8 pages 

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Emergency Response Planning 

Committing sufficient resources (13) 

KLM has developed and maintains comprehensive emergency response and family assistance 

plans which utilize a broad spectrum of both human and technological resources in the event of 

an aircraft accident. During a response to an aircraft accident, large numbers of specially trained 

employees throughout the organization work on issues including family assistance, accident 

investigation, media relations and liaising with government agencies and support organizations. 

They are directed via a dedicated command center network linked by all means of 

communications available to the airline. 

KLM has developed and maintains cooperative relationships with external organizations 

involved in the response to an aircraft accident. KLM has designated its emergency response 

organization specifically to allow independent management of the response to the aircraft 

accident while continuing the safe operation of the airline. 

Care Team (16) 

A special team of organized and trained volunteers called the KLM Care Team has been 

established to enhance face-to-face communication between KLM and the passengers, families 

and crew members affected by an aircraft accident. Members of KLM's Care Team will respond 

to the needs that families may have. These volunteers originate from all divisions of KLM's 

organization. Care Team members are available at KLM's home base as well as in all 

geographical areas that KLM operates to. The Care Team members are organized in such a 

way that they can be rapidly mobilized following an aircraft accident. The specialized skills of 

each Care Team member is recorded in a comprehensive and detailed online electronic 

database which is maintained by KLM's Emergency Response Planning department. 

Training (15) 

In addition to the specific training provided to the Care Team members, emergency response 

training is also provided to personnel in public contact positions throughout KLM's organization. 

KLM realizes that families may contact any (reservations) office or may seek support at airports 

that are neither the origin nor the destination of the flight involved in an aircraft accident. These 

trainings are continuously enhanced and include lessons learned from industry partners and 

mental health professionals. 

Periodically, KLM rehearses its emergency response plan and sub plans in cooperation with 

external parties, including airports. KLM's code-share partners are included in planning, 

organizing, training and exercise opportunities in order to provide a consistent response to 

families affected by an accident of any of KLM's flights. Additionally, KLM and its partners 

routinely coordinate with federal, state and local authorities that have emergency response 

responsibilities. 

Toll free number (1) 

KLM will establish a toll-free telephone number within 1 hour of KLM's Operations Control 

Center receiving information that an aircraft operated by KLM or its affiliates has been involved 

in an accident and that there are serious injuries and/or fatalities. This telephone number will be 

Family Assistance Plan Date: 1 May 2015 Page 3 of 8 pages 
KLM ·= Royal Dutch Airlines 

staffed by trained representatives of the Passenger Inquiry Centers of KLM in The Netherlands 

and KLM's alliance partner in the US. Normal reservations calls can still be facilitated. 

Passenger manifest, manifest reconciliation and notification 

Passenger manifest (14) 

Immediately after an aircraft accident, KLM will begin the process of determining which 

passengers have actually boarded the affected flight. This will include identifying passengers 

with reservations, standby, rerouted and non-revenue passengers. This process may be delayed 

by passengers travelling under different names and passengers changing seats. KLM prohibits 

the unauthorized release and further distribution of this confidential, sensitive manifest. 

Immediately upon the request of the NTSB and/or the designated organization, a list of 

passengers onboard the aircraft (based upon the best information available at the time of the 

request) will be sent by fax to the NTSB Communications Center. KLM's Emergency Manager in 

the Corporate Emergency Command Center (CECC) will ensure that the list is clearly marked as 

"preliminary manifest". The manifest verification process will continue and updates will be made 

to the manifest periodically until a final verified manifest is produced. Once the verified manifest 

is complete, KLM's Emergency Manager in the CECC will clearly mark it as "verified" and send it 

to the NTSB Communications Center by fax. 

Ticket reconciliation (14) 

Reconciling a preliminary passenger list is accomplished by verifying data at the departure 

airport to the list of those holding computerized reservations (Passenger Name Records - PNRs) 

for the flight. Information in the PNRs can also help to begin the process of determining the 

passenger's next-of-kin and with establishing contact. Once this initial reconciliation is complete, 

the more accurate list will be provided to KLM's Care Team Coordination Center (CTCC), which 

is located in KLM's OCC at Amsterdam airport in The Netherlands so the notification process 

can continue while the list continues to be verified. 

Preliminary (unverified) passenger manifest (14) 

KLM's PIC will have access to the unverified "preliminary" passenger manifest. As PIC 

representatives speak with families, they will be able to advise them if their loved one is shown 

on the unverified list as holding a reservation, pending verification that they have actually 

boarded the affected flight. In situations where someone's loved one appears on the list, the PIC 

representative will forward the caller's information to a specifically trained Care Phone Team 

member. 

Notifying passenger's families (2, 3) 

Specifically trained Care Phone Team members will notify the family of each passenger as soon 

as it appears that the passenger was on board and that a close family contact exists. KLM will 

not wait to initiate this notification process until the names of all passengers have been verified. 

This process will continue non-stop until all families have been notified. However, identifying and 

contacting some passenger's next-of-kin may be delayed depending on the amount and 

accuracy of the information available to KLM. The closest family member who has inquired 

about a name on the verified passenger manifest will be contacted by the Care Phone Team 

Family Assistance Plan Date: 1 May 2015 Page 4 of 8 pages 

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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 

until KLM is satisfied that the next-of-kin has been notified. Once the passenger manifest has 

been validated, family members will be provided with a direct phone number to the Care Phone 

Team. 

KLM will not release a passenger's name publically until the next-of-kin has been notified. If the 

next-of-kin requests that the passenger's name will not be made public, KLM will provide the 

information to the NTSB in an effort to do all possible to honor the request. 

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. The National Team of 

Forensic Investigation from The Netherlands may be invited by US authorities via diplomatic 

channels to support the identification of fatalities. For injured passengers, the hospital is 

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

families. 

Family access to the accident site (12) 

The Care Phone Team will make arrangements for the family of a passenger to travel to the 

location of the accident if they so desire. Once at the location of the accident, specific KLM Care 

Team members will be assigned and dedicated to each family to coordinate such issues as 

accommodations, ground transportation, communications, the purchase of personal incidentals 

and visiting survivors in the hospitals. If a family so desires, Care Team members will travel to 

the family's home or other location to provide personal assistance, communications and 

logistical support. Professional counseling services will be made available through KLM's close 

coordination with the designated organization responsible for family care and mental health. 

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

communications and logistical support for federal and designated organization's staff. KLM will 

endeavor to secure a suitable facility to protect families from intrusions by the media and by 

unwelcome solicitors. 

The NTSB has jurisdiction over the accident-site. Within site security limitations that these 

authorities establish, KLM will respond to family requests for visits to the accident site. Access to 

the site however may be limited by terrain, bio-hazard and/or hazardous materials concerns, 

security measures or other unforeseen conditions. 

Care Team members will continue to assist family members as they depart from the accident 

location. After departing from the accident location, families will transition to the Care Field Team 

back to the Care Phone Team who will continue to maintain contact with and provide support for 

families as required. 

Human remains and personal effects 

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A medical examiner (or coroner?) is responsible for the disposition of identifiable and 

unidentifiable human remains. Disaster mortuary teams may be activated by the NTSB to assist 

with this process. KLM will comply with decisions made by the responsible authorities and help 

ensure that families are advised of plans for disposition. Families' wishes concerning 

arrangements for the remains of their loved ones will be honored. 

Personal effects (5, 6, 7) 

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

having the airline become custodian of them. Local authorities should determine disposition of 

unidentifiable personal effects. 

If personal effects come into the airline's control, KLM or its designee will consult with each 

family about the disposition of these items. Unless advised otherwise, KLM or its designee will 

describe to the family the condition of each such item and follow the family's instructions 

concerning the return or other disposition of those items regardless of their condition. 

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

require a certain expertise, KLM may arrange for a qualified contractor to provide these services. 

After returning all identifiable possessions, unclaimed possessions in KLM's control will be 

retained for no less than 18 months. KLM or its contractor will create an inventory of these items 

and will carefully store them. 

Monuments (8) 

If the families express a desire for a monument at or near the accident site, KLM 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 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 names is 

planned in the agreed 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. 

Access to proceedings (18) 

KLM will assure that, following an accident, any proceeding or public hearing, conducted by the 

NTSB, which is located at a distance that is greater than 80 miles from the accident site, will be 

made available through electronic means to the families at the origin city and destination city of 

that flight if that city is located in the United States of America. 

Family Assistance Plan Date: 1 May 2015 Page 6 of 8 pages 
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Aircraft accidents outside the United States of America (16) 

KLM will consult with the NTSB and the Department of State in the event assistance is offered to 

United States citizens within the US with regards to an aircraft accident outside the United 

States involving a major loss of life. 

Relationship with the designated independent organization (1 0) 

KLM will establish a working relationship with the independent, non-profit organization that the 

NTSB designates under section 1136(a) (2) of Title VII, Section 703 of the Federal Aviation 

Reauthorization Act of 1996. The goals of the partnership will be to ensure that mental health 

and counseling services to families, as well as any other appropriate services, are provided 

following an aircraft accident 

Compensation of designated organization (11) 

Reasonable compensation will be paid to the NTSB-designated independent, non-profit 

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

Reauthorization Act of 1996 for services provided by the organization. KLM will request and 

expect a plan of tasks and anticipated costs as they are incurred and an itemized list of services 

rendered and expenses to accompany the organization's invoice. 

Ground property damage (17) 

In the event of an aircraft accident that results in significant damage to property on the ground 

that is not government-owned, KLM will advise the owner, in writing to the extent practicable 

about liability for any property damage and means for obtaining compensation. The notice will 

advise the property owner to contact the insurer of the property for information about coverage 

and compensation for the damage and to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence of 

property damage as soon as possible after the aircraft accident 

Filing airline plan with the DOT and the NTSB 

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has filed this plan as required by the Foreign Air Carrier Family 

Assistance Act of 1997 and all subsequent revisions. In addition, KLM has submitted to the 

National Transportation Safety Board contact telephone numbers at its Operations Control 

Center (OCC), its Corporate Emergency Command Center (CECC) and selected individual 

functions that can be used by the NTSB 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Operations Control Center 

Phone: -------------------- Manager Emergency Response Planning 

Phone: 

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Corresponding items 

Aviation Disaster Family 

Assistance Act (1996) I 

Foreign Air Carrier Family KLM's Family Assistance Plan 

Assistance Act (1997) 

Point 1 Emergency Response Planning- Toll-free telephone number 

Point 2 Passenger manifest, Ticket reconciliation and NotificationNotifying Passenger's families 

Point 3 Passenger manifest, Ticket reconciliation and Notification -

Notifying Passenger's families 

Point 4 Passenger manifest, Ticket reconciliation and Notification -

Passenger manifest 

Point 5 Human remains and personal effects 

Point 6 Human remains and personal effects- Personal effects 

Point 7 Human remains and personal effects- Personal effects 

Point 8 Human remains and personal effects - Monuments 

Point 9 Overview 

Point 10 Relationship with designated independ~nt organization 

Point 11 Relationship with designated independent organization 

Point 12 Family access to accident site 

Point 13 Emergency Response Planning -Committing sufficient 

resources 

Point 14 Passenger manifest, Ticket reconciliation and Notification -

Preliminary passenger manifest 

Point 15 Emergency Response Planning -Training 

Point 16 Aircraft accidents outside the United States of America 

Point 17 Ground property damage 

I Point 18 Access to proceedings 

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