# FAMILY ASSISTANCE PLAN

1. INTRODUCTION

Wings Airways submits this document in accordance with the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. The content and filing requirements listed here are required by Title VII, section 703, of the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996 (Public Law 101

- 624).

The purpose of Wings Airways’ 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 the

survivors and victim’s families ; to treat survivors and families with dignity; and to respect the cultural and religious backgrounds of the survivors and families. This plan is part of a larger effort that includes the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other governmental entities to assist survivors and families in the event of the aviation disaster with the United States or U.S. territories. Wings Airways recognizes that, in the event of an accident or an operational incident, no person, including a state of a political subdivision, may impede the abi lity of the NTSB, its director of family support services, or its designated representatives, to carry out its responsibilities under the Reauthorization Act.

2. PRE

- RESPONSE PLANNING

A. Resources

i. Availability of Resources In the event of an accident involving Wings Airways, trained personnel will be prepared to provide immediate, compassionate assistance to survivors and victim’s families.ii. Current Resource Information Lists of trained personnel who are to assume fami ly responsibilities will be maintained and regularly updated by Wings Airways.

B. Training

i. General Training Wings Airways will provide employees with adequate training to meet the needs of the survivors and family members following an accident. Wings Airways recognizes that any employee in a public contact position may be called upon to respond to inquiries and requests in the event of an accident.

P ublic contact employees, including but limited to dock representatives, customer service, pilots and do ck workers, will participate in basic emergency response training. Curriculum will include information on how to respond to inquiries and requests from the public, the media, customers, survivors and

victim’s families.

ii. Family Assistance Training Wings Airways will provide comprehensive training for all employees covering family assistance responsibilities and skills. Training will also cover confidentiality issues, care and concern for the family contacted, and other related issues.

iii. Recurrent tra ining Any employee with family assistance responsibilities will be required to participate in recurrent training. Classes will be scheduled as necessary.

iv. Emergency Simulations Wings Airways will conduct periodic tests of emergency response plans. Where possible, simulations will be held in conjunction with airport, State of Alaska or American Red Cross emergency drills.

C. Coordination with Authorities In response to an accident, Wings Airways will coordinate with federal, state and local authorities that have emergency responsibilities, including the NTSB, as described in the Family Assistance Act of 1996. Wings Airways has provided the NTSB witha telephone number to serve as a contact point within the airline during operating hours.

D. Toll Free Num

ber and Email Address In the event of an Aviation Disaster, Wings Airways will arrange for a toll free telephone number reserved exclusively for the use in support of this plan, and will publicize the number as appropriate. Wings Airways will provide the following email address ( assistance@ntsb.gov ) to family members for obtaining information

and other concerns.

E. Unauthorized Release of Manifest Information Prohibited Internal policies at Wings Airways strictly proh ibit the release of unauthorized manifest information in the event of an emergency. Upon receiving notification of an incident or information in the event of an incident or accident, access to computer passenger lists will be restricted to prevent any una uthorized use in accordance with company procedures.

3. PASSENGER MANIFEST, TICKET RE C ONCILIATION AND

NOTIFICATION

A. Family Information Team Mobilization Upon notification from the office of the Vice President of Flight Operation s or Director of Operations, Wings Airways will mobilize its staff in accordance with company emergency response procedures.

B. Manifest Access Inhibited Access to the passenger name list will be restricted to employees involved in the emergency response plan. Immediate ly after the accident notification, the process of determining which passengers actually boarded the flight will begin.

C Verification/Ticket Reconciliation Immediately after the accident notification, a preliminary passenger name list will be prepared f rom company records. Emergency response employees will contact the departure station(s) by direct communication to confirm the passenger name list information using flight coupons or any other boarding verification documents. Copiesof flight coupons and any other boarding verification documents shall

also be sent to corporate headquarters as quickly as possible. The process of confirmation and notification will include passengers with reservations, standby passengers, non

- revenue passengers, re

- routed

p assengers and crew members.

D. Release of Manifest Information to NTSB On request from the NTSB, Wings Airways will generate a passenger name list manifest for the Director of the NTSB Office of Family Support Services. The list will be approved by Wing s Airways’ President or designee, and then released to the NTSB. The List will be marked and identified as “subject to refinement

- not for public dissemination.” The passenger name list will be updated as confirmations occur, and the updates provided to t he NTSB in accordance with the procedures used to issue the initial passenger name list. All personnel involved in the gathering and dissemination of the passenger name list to the NTSB shall be continually made

aware of its confidential and sensitive nat ure.

E. Family Support Operations Center Wings Airways will make provisions for a family support operations center to include space, communications and logistical support for a federal staff of up to twelve personnel.

F. Notification of Next of Kin

1. Notification Procedures Wings Airways will work through the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Office of Emergency Management and /or the American Red Cross, as appropriate, to provide notification to families of confirmed passengers on board the aircraf t. As notification is made, f

amilies will be offered the ass istance of the American Red Cross (designated independent organization) and will assign an employee of Wings Airways with which to

work. On

- site notification will be done in private, away from

m edia or public view, and access to telephones and other appropriate communications facilities will be provided to all family members upon notification.2. Preliminary Manifest Information May Be Used for Initial

Notification Upon request of a passenger’s family, notification employees

will advise whet h er the passenger’s name appeared on the preliminary passenger name list for the flight involved in the accident. Updated information will be given to the family when the passenger name list is verified. No tification of next

- of

- kin will be done by trained personnel as soon as the information

becomes available.

3. Notification of Families of Foreign Nationals Notification of families of foreign nationals may also involve

the U.S. Department of State (DOS ). Wings Airways will provide a list to the DOS of all passengers believed to be foreign nationals. If applicable, notification of foreign

nationals’ next

- of

- kin will proceed according to the direction of

the DOS.

4. PASSENGER IDENTIFICATION

A. D.H.H.S. Oversees Passenger Identification The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) oversees passenger identification.

B. Medical Examiner of Coroner Responsible for Positive Identification

The M edical Examiner or Coroner of the jurisdiction in which t he accident occurred is responsible for the positive identification of fatalities. Official notification of death to a family member will be coordinated by the Medical Examiner or Coroner with the Disaster Mortuary Team Commander. The Disaster Mortuary T eam is a team staffed by various non

- airline health and medical personnel.

C. Information Regarding Injured Passengers For injured passengers, the hospital to which the passenger has been admitted is responsible for status updates, and either the hospital or Wings Airways will advise the families.D. Coordination with Medical Facilities and with the American Red

Cross A representative from Wings Airways will be assigned to each area medical facility where survivors are being treated. The Wings Airways representative will establish a joint liaison with the American Red Cross (ARC) at the medical facility.

5. FAMILY ACCESS TO THE ACCIDENT SITE

A. Site Jurisdiction

i

. The NTSB has full Accident Site Jurisdiction within the United

States Wings Airways recognizes that the NTSB has accident site jurisdiction for any accident occurring within U.S. territory or

international waters.

ii

. Foreign Government has Site Jurisdiction outside the United

States Wings Airways recognizes that for accidents occurring outside of U.S. territory or international waters, the government of the country in which the accident occurred will have site jurisdiction. The extent of NTSB involvement will be determined by the foreign government.

B. Access to Site Wings Airways will a ssist the family of a passenger in traveling to the location of the accident and provide for the physical care of the family while the family is staying at such location. Wings Airways will accommodate family requests for access to the accident site withi n the parameters established by the NTSB.

C. Family Support and Services at Site Transportation, housing, meals and incidental costs for survivors and/or families will be arranged through established support teams. A Wings Airways employee will be assigned to each family to meet family members as they arrive, provide support while at the accident site, and assist family members as they depart. The Wings Airways employee will maintain contact with the family as needed after thesite visit. The Wings Airways employee will also maintain contact with those family members who do not travel to the accident site.

6. HUMAN REMAINS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS

A. Disposition of Remains

The Medical Examiner or C oroner will be responsible for the disposition of identifiable and unidentifiable human remains.

B. Disposition of Personal Effects

i. Personal Effects to be Handle by Authorities Any identifiable personal effects in the possession of the Medical Examiner, Coroner, NTSB or other authorities should be returned directly to the passenger’s family. If personal effects come into Wings Airways’ control, the carrier will handle the disposition of the effects, including decontamination services, as needed.

ii. Families Will Be Consulted Regarding Disposition of Effects Wings Airways will consult with each family about the disposition of effects and, as requested, arrange for return of the

items.

iii. Storage of Personal Effects Unclaimed items will be retained by Wings Airways for a

minimum of 18 months.

C. Families will be Consulted Regar ding any Monument Wings Airways will consult with the families prior to the construction of any airline

- sponsored monument, including any inscription.

7. RELATIONSHIP WITH DESIGNATED INDEPENDENT

ORGANIZATION

A. Designated Independent Organization to Assist with Mental Health

Care Wings Airways will work with the American Red Cross, the designated independent organization as described in §§ 49 U.S.C.1136 and 41113, to provide short

- term mental health services to

survivors and the families of accident victims.

B. Compensation to Designated I ndependent Organization If the American Red Cross provides on

- site assistance, a Wings Airways representative will consult with the agency as costs are incurred in order to ensure that reasonable compensation can be determined and paid.

8. COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

If the Wings Airways disaster is officially declared a criminal act, Wings Airways will coordinate, as necessary, with the Department of Justice in arranging for family meetings to ex plain Department of Justice services.

9. NOTIFICATION OF PROPERTY OWNERS REGARDING GROUND

DAMAGE

In the event of an accident that involves significant ground damage to non

governmental property, Wings Airways will notify the owner of the property

abo ut liability for any property damage and the means for obtaining compensation. This notification will include advising the property owner; (1) to contact the property’s insurer for information about coverage and compensation; (2) not to rely on unofficial statements by Wings Airways’ representative about compensation; and (3) to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence about property damage as soon as possible.

10. ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF PUBLIC HEARING

In the event that the NTSB conducts a pub lic accident hearing at a location that is more than 80 miles from the accident site, Wings Airways will insure that the hearing will be available electronically at the origin and destination

cities of th e accident aircraft’s flight, if that city is in the U.S.