# Airline Family Assistance Plan

Apri123, 2012·•\·, i,'Docket

- Dockets OST-96-1960 U.S. Department ofTransportation 400 Seventh St. SW, Room PL-401 Washington, D.C. 20590 To Whom It May Concern: April 23, 2012

Enclosed is the updated Alaska Airlines Family Assistance Plan as required by the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 (49 U.SC. 1136 and 41113), and Public Law No. 108-176 (Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act), Section 109. If you have questions or require any additional information, please contact me

TJ Banakes Director, Customer and Incident Response Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air

B 0 X 6 8 9 0 0 S E A T T L E, W A 9 8 1 6 8

- 0 9 0 0 IFamily Assistance Plan (rev. 4/23/12)

ALASKA AIRLINES

### I HORIZON AIR FAMILY ASSISTANCE PLAN
I. Introduction: Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska Airlines) 

### I Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (Horizon Air) submits the following document in accordance with the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 (49 U.S.C. § 41113), 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 purpose of Alaska Airlines' 

### I Horizon Air's family assistance plan is to ensure that in the event of a major accident, the carrier is prepared to act in the best interests of survivors and victims' families; to treat survivors and families with dignity; and to respect the cultural and religious backgrounds of survivors and families. This plan is part of a larger effort, which includes the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), other governmental entities and other designated organizations, to assist survivors and families in the event of an aviation disaster within the United States or U.S. territories. Alaska Airlines 

## I Horizon Air recognizes that in the event of an accident or an operational incident, no person, including a state or political subdivision, may impede the ability of the NTSB, its director of family support services, or its designated representatives, to carry out its responsibilities under applicable law.
II. Pre-Response Planning
A. Resources 1. Availability of Resources Both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are wholly owned subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, Inc., and will share personnel resources for the functions outlined in this plan, ensuring sufficient resources to respond effectively. In the event of an accident involving either carrier, trained personnel from both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air will be prepared to provide immediate, compassionate assistance to survivors and victims' families.

1Fami·lyAssistance 

### Plan. (t;ev. 4/23/12) 2. Current Resource Information Lists of trained personnel who have volunteered to assume family assistance responsibilities will be maintained and regularly updated by the Alaska Airlines / l{orizon Air Emergency Preparedness Departments.
B
..Training
1. General Training Alaska Airlines 

## I Horizon Air will**proyid~ ~fXl!ployees.**  and agents
. with adequate training to meet the needs. of**s~ryjvors** . and family m,embers following an ac:cident. Alaska Airlines 

### I**Har~zon.**Air recogniz,es. that any employee in a public contact position m.ay ,be ,caPed upo1,1 to**r~spopd** to inquiries and requ,ests in the eyent of an qeddent.. PlJ.blic cop tact e:p1ployees, including but not limited to reservations, ,C)irpqrt,: and C!irgo**per~onnel,.** will partjcipate in basic emergency response traini11g. Curriculum will include information on how to respond,to inquiries.and:requests from. the public, the media, customers, survivors, and v:ictims'.**f!l;tp~liel)**..

I : ! I 2. Family Assistance Training Alaska Airlines 

### I Horizon Air will provide comprehensive training for all volunteers with extensive family assistance**respo~sibiliti~s**.. Training will be

. mandator)[ for**.employe~s** who**J;lav~** volunteerep. to provide :assistance to

survivors

. and vic:tims' families., This .•.. grqup. js, referred. ,to as the Compassionate Assist;lnce,. apd:.**Reli~f: ,.;Effo;~;t;.**  Team
.**(CA~E.** ,Team). Confidentiality issues, care and concern for the family contacted, and other related issues 

### v:vill be covered in the**t~aining.** 

### . ' 3.**Recurr~nt,Tr~ining** . , . ,**<~,** . •: Any· em.ployee withfamily assistance.

. responsj}?ilities

..will.**~e** .required to pa,rticipate ,in**~nnual** recurrent training,,

..**Classe~** will:· be scheduled ·, ' periodically throughout the year or througJ.:t computer based, training.

24. Emergency Simulations '·· · ·' Alaska Airlines··/ Horizon Air will conduct periodic drills of. emergency response plans, including activation of the 'CARE team. Where possible, simulations will be held in conjunction with airport or American Red Cross emergency drills. Full simulations will be conducted once a year; individual department simulations will be conducted periodically throughout the year and tracked by the Emergency Preparedness Department.
C. Coordination with·**.Autftoriti~~'** In responding to·**an'~atciaerit;** Alaska'Airlines 

### l Horizon Air will coordinate withfederali

### state~ andtfoeal 'authorities that J:lav'e emergency :responsibilities, including tHe NTSB 

## anti ·an:t>liesrgn'ated organization, as described in the Avhttion DisasterFamily'**A~s'istance** Act of 1996: With respect to aircraft accidents occurring outsiCie the United States involving major loss of life,**1\lask~** Airlines /'**Hori:Z:on·~;** 'Air will · consulf with the NTSB and the
I , Department' of State on) the ;provision ofassistance to United ·states 'citizens within the United States: rJ\1aska·Aitlines·/ Horiz6n'Akhave provided the NTSB with a telephone number to serve as a contact point within the airline during operating hours.

·'\:. :1 ,..

•'1 I Both Alaska Airlines-·arret H6rizon Air currently have**active~** unpublished:toll '.free telEhphohe mimbers';1' Tnese numbers· are reserved exclusively 'for use in

the event10fan actident'andwil1 be'pubikizedas appropriate.

-

t } • ' ' •• ' t' l 1**~** j • •• ) ,, 1 E. Unauthorized Release of Man'tfest I:Mbrmation PrOhibited ·"1 ··' ·-- · :; Internal policies at both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air strictly prohibit the release of unauthorized manifest information in the evenfof an-emergency;

. . .· . . ,. 

### ,. . 

### Upon**·red~iving notifiditi'on~** 

# of ·an- incident or accident, access· to computer ·'pa:s·sengef<

### li~tS'·**will'T,~ 1**  restricted ·to prevent any'unauthorized use in

accordance with conipariy ·procedures.

3

### IlLPassenger Manifest,**Ti~ket Reconcili~tionand**  

### Notificatjon'
A. Family Assistance Team Mobilization Upon notification from System Operationa1 Control (SOC) at either, Alaska Airlines or. Horizon Air of an accident, .the Emergen<;y Preparedness Department will mobilize the.CARE Team Cjl,Ccording to comp•;my emer,gency response procedures.


### B. Manifest Access Inhibited Access to the passenger name list (PNL) will be restricted by Central Reservations Control (CRC). Immediately after th,e**ac<;id~nt** lil.O.t,i£icatiqn, the process of determining which**passengers·::a~ tuaJly** **boa~d,eq** the fligl:tt 

### ·Will begin.

. , , " :,,;. , , C. 

### Verification/Ticket Recondliation :i , ;' Immediately after the accident**notifica~ion,** a**,pr~UJ;Uin<l~Y** PNL will be printed by CRC.

. CRC will then contact, t:he**departur~:stapon(s)** 

### l?y**te~ephone** to confirm PNL information using.aUdpcumentstJ:wtare contained in the Flight Revenue,Envelope. • Copies offlight,couppns,

### (j£ any) from boarding stations

. I :. will also be sent via**fa<;simil~** to CRC. 

## The·**pr;oc~s;-5** of. ,confirmation and noti,fication.will be the. same for all**passenger~;.to include.pass~:Q.gers**  with reservations, · standby

.. passengers, 1**non~reye:nue.** .**passenger~,** .**re~routed pas~enger,s**  qndtcrew members. ..,,._,.1., '.·;i;

. ( i. 

### D.:**Rel~ase** 

### o£ :Manjfest IJ;\{orm,ation 

### to. NTSB•'

. , 1 r' ;. On request 

### from the NTSB, Alaska**_Airlil)~s** c/_.Hpri;zon Air wiltgenerate a PNLroanifeE?tJo,the NTSB Deputy Pirector,pfJlawHySp.pport Services

. .The list :will be, cleared .by the air CCl.rrier:s CEQ OJ:' ,Q,esignee and**r~leased** to the NTSB by the company's Corporate Communications**d~pq,r,tn:),~nt. Th~**  list will be marked and identified as "Preliminary

- not for public dissemination." The PNL. will, 

### pe. updated as .confirmatjons. oc:;c:ur, .and updates :will be provided periodically to the NTSB through**tl:t~ ~ompany'** s Public Information Officer or his/her designee. A final,**verif~ed** 

### PN;L Manifest**~ill** be prodpced l?y CRC as early_ as one hour but no laterth;:m three hours after the**ev~nt** has
\.'

4occurred. All**p·er~sormel** i'hvo·lved i'n the gathering·'ahd dissemination of PNL information to the 

### NTSB will be aware of its confidential and sensitive nature.
K Joint:FamilySupport**OperationS~** Center , Alaska Airlines/ Horizon Air will make provisions for ajointfamily support operations center to include space,,communication and logistical support for a federal staff of at least twelve personnel.
F. Notification of Next-of-Kin

,· I i < I ., ' I**~ ~**  ' : 1. Notification Prbcedures . . , :: ·r. ·:

.· ·Alaska has cohtracted ,'With:. Empathia, which has experience in providing aviation disaster preparedness and response services to several regional, domestic and foreign air carriers, to provide notification to families of confirmed passengers on board the aircraft as (soon as possible and berore identity of**pass~rigers** 

## ate teleased publicly. Empathia will work from the unconfirmed/lprelirhirtary' FNL/'updating the list from infoFrriatiori gathered by Alaska· :A'.irHhes 

### 1·WdiiZJ(hi'·;AiT ; from ·calls t0 the ·ton.:.free number, code share ·parfners,**·mileage•:pl'ari'·d~ta** base; '.friends, 'family, and other 'pertinent •sources.' Where**practlcabl~,·** notifications 

### wilt'be given in person. As notifica:ticm ·is fuade, families 'Will be 6££ered the· assistance of the"Arrierican

· Red Cross (designatedrrirtdependent organization) 'and will be assigned at

least one CARE team member. On-site notification will be dotre in private, away from media or public view, and access to phones will be provided to all family members upon notification;· NotificatioRtothe next-of-Kitt· will be done by trained persorinefasJso6n:·as it becomes appareht that-the pa:s$enger was ; aboard the aircraft.**.Releci~e** to the public or 'media ofan}r'nafue confirmed

ffoni the list'V\Ti1Pdccut' ohly 

### after' the ·PNL 

### is cohfirmed and the next-of-kin • hasbeeri notified.' · : ·**~** r:.. ·;**~** .r . ,: , .f, ·;

' • ' • ••**~** ; 1,- ·. ; ) )'•. 2. · Preliminary Manifest Information May Be Used for Initial Notification· Upon request'of 

### apassenger's'lfamily, Empathia representatives will advise whether the passenger's na:me·appeared onthe preliminary PNL for the flight involved in the**accidentitJpd~ted** information ·will 'be gNen to the family when the PNL is verified.

53. Notification to Families of Foreign**National~,** Notification of families of foreign nationals may also involve the Department of State (DOS). Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air, with the assistance of**Emp~thia,** will.provide a list.to the DOS of, all passengers**believ~d** to be foreign nationals

.. If**applicabl~,** nptification of {()reign nationals' next-of-kin will proceed qccording to the direction o.f the DOS

.. 

### ,. IV.Passenger Identification
A. DHHS Oversees Passenger Identifiq.tion

., .· ' · :· The Department of**H~alth** and f:Iuman Servic,e,s .(DHJ-IS)**.qverse~s pas~~nger**  identification

.. B. Medical Examiner or Coroner Responsible for Positive Identification

. The Medical Examiner or Coroner is .responsible fpr the positive identification of fatalities. Official notification

.

### of death, tp: .a family member .will be

· coordinated by the medical examiner qr**~orqner;with** the disaster mQrtuary

team commander (the disaster mortua,ry tean;t. i$ 1(} vohmtaryteam staffed by various non-airline health and medical personnel).; •

> :) C. Information Regarding Injured Passenger!;'

. For injured**pa~sengers,.** the hospital is**re~pq~si~le,** for status**~pdates,** and eitherthe hospital or theair;line will acivise the f:amilies.

., D. ·**CoQr~ination.** :with Medical Facilities and.

### wi;th,thE! .A.merican Red Cross

.**A1-':ewr~s~;ntativefron1.the** airlit).e.wj,ll;be**a~~ig:n.ed.to** each area medical facility where survivors are**b~jng** treated. The**r~p~esevtative w~l.l**  establish a joint

.,liais.on withtheAmeri<.:fan ,Red Cross (ARC)**atJh~** medical facility.• ,

6V. Family Access to the AccidertfSite A. Site Jurisdiction 1. NTSB Has Full Accident Site Jurisdiction within the United States Alaska Airlines 

### I HoriZ'0n· ;Air recognizes that the NTSB has accident site jurisdiction for any accident Occurring within

## ·u.s. territory or international waters. 2. Foreign Government Has Site Jurisdiction outside of the United States Alaska Airlines 

### I Horizon Air recognizes that for accidents occurring outside of U.S. territory or international waters, the government of the country in which the'**atdd~M** dcculrfed will liav'e 

## site jurisdiction. The extent of NTSB involvement will be determined by the foreign government. B. Access to Site · .. · :· ·,' r'**~~** '? •• ' , • · Alaskci Airlines'/ He>i:izori! Air' will assist the family of a passenger traveling tothe location of the accilient'and provide for the physical care ·ofthe family while the family is**·stayin~faFsuch location~**  The airlines will acc·ommodate ' ' family requests for**ac~ss:** to the' 'atcident' site within the parameters established by the NTSB-.' < ·r ' '··· · C. Family Support and Services 

## at Site · '1 :: · < .;**Transportation~ housin~/fu~als**  and incidental' costs .for the physical tare of survivors and families' 1 

### will**'b~** 'arranged'thrmfgh establishe& supportteams. A CARE team member will be assigned to each family to meet family members as**they·arrive;l~r~vide** stip}J0'rt while·at th({iriddrents4tehmd assist 'family members as· 

## 'they -depart. ·Tlie ·cARE· team membe'r·i·wm rnaintain contact 'With the farriily'iliS''iieeded afterthe sHe visit 

### ·''A CARE team member will also be'

## assigned to1thOse" iinm'ediate family members 

### Who do not travel to the incident site.

7VI. Human Remains and Personal Effects · A. Disposition of Remains The MedicalExaminer or Coroner will be**r~sponsible** for the disposjtion of identifiable and unidentifiable human remains.:

, f -· \

' ' .**~·** B. Disposition of Personal Effects ,,1· 1. Personal Effects To Be Handled by**Authofiti~s.Qr;~Q.ntr~ctO,Ji,~r**. . Any identifiable personal effects in the:**po.ss~ssiQl(l** ot,the**M~dical** E)<aminer, Coroner, National Transportation**Saf~ty Bo<itr4:~11**  

### other aut]lpriaes.E?h,cmlcl be returned directly to .the passenger's .family.,**:·M9~ever,** 

### .if per,sq11al, effects come into Alaska Airlines' / Horizon Air's control, the carrier will designate a contractor to assist in the disposition of**th~** .**effect~(** , .in<;:lqding i

. . decontamination services as**needed~**

fl,. 2. Families Will Be Consulted Regarding**Di~H).O~iti~m** of**~ff,ect~** In cooperation with the airline the contractor will consult with each family about the disposition of**eff~cts** and,**as.req1J.e~t~ct,nwill:arran;ge.f()r** the retu;rn of the items. 1 ;•·.• " 3. Storage ·Of Personal Effects (PE) .:I Unclaimed items will be inventoried and retained by the contractor for a minimum of 18 months. Unclaimed PE inventory will be. COtpn:lUil;icated frequently to surviving family members for claim, as inventory changes or on demand. After that point, 

### all· unclAiJ.1;led,itemcy<wiJl be

..**prop,er,~y** c;J;estroyed in ' ' ' the presence .of at least**o~~** designated;

. .J\la:l1l>f\·· Ajrlines, 

## k· Horizon,.Air representative·and ,q. representative of the**CQJ;1.t:r~cs:t9r.** :·.· .· I ' ·:''1.,1:.<!;
' ·. '.**~** I •' ' ; ·. ' "'f

. .**~** ' I C; Families Will Be: Consulted Regarding Any:l\1o11p.ment

. ·:r• Alaska Airlines / Horizon

.Air will cpns;t;tJt ;\N"jth the families**prjo~** to construction of any airline-sponsored mon'4m!=lnt( jncludi.ng any;inscription.

1: ' l ·' , I

8VII. Relationship with Designated Ind"ependent Organization
A. Designated Independent Organization to Assist with MentalHealth Care Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air ·will·workwith the American Red Cross, the designated independent organization as described in §§49 U.S.C. 1136 & 41113, to provide short-term mental health services to survivors and to families of accident victims.
B. Compensation toDesigfiatNlhtdependent Organization If the American Red CrosS' provides on-site assistance, an Alaska Airlines/ Ho:.dzon Ait repr'esentati've will consult with the agency as· costs are incurred in order to ensure that t'e'asonable compensation can be determined and paid.
B. Continuing Support :. ;· Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air will work with Empathia to ensure that all passengers or families of passengers receive any ongoing services and assistance that may be needed by them.' "'

. VIII. Coordination with**the·Oep~rtment** ofJustice. If the airline disaster is officially declared a criminal act, Alaska Airlines 

### I Horizon Air will coordinate, as necessary, with the Department of Justice in arranging for family meetings to explain Department ofJustice Services. · IX. Ground Damage i. ',, A. Notification to Property Owners Regarding Ground Damage:·

. In the event of an accident that iiwolves signifiCant ground damage to nongovernmental property, Alaska··Airlines 

### I Horizo:Q. Air ·Will.notify the owner of the property about liability for any property damage and the means for obtaining compensation{''ThiEPwritten notification will include' advising the property owner: (1) to contact the property's insurer for information about coverage and compensation;(2) to notrely on unofficial information from the air carrier's representative about compensation; and (3) to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence about property damage as soon as practicable.

9Family Assistance Plan (rev. 4/23/12)

B. Ground Casualties All ground casualties are the responsibility of the airline and will be treated in the same manner as the aircraft passengers. X. Electronic Transmission of Public Hearing In the event that the NTSB conducts a public accident hearing at a location that is more than eighty miles from the accident site, Alaska Airlines/ Horizon Air will ensure that the hearing will be available electronically live at the origin city and destination city of the accident aircraft's flight, ifthat city is in the United States.



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