Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act. August, 2011

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1 Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act August, 2011 Principles of Family Assistance Deutsche Lufthansa AG d/b/a Lufthansa German Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo AG (hereinafter referred to collectively as Lufthansa ) hereby submit this Plan for addressing the needs of passengers and the families of passengers involved in an aircraft accident as required by the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act, 49 U.S.C. 1136, as amended. Lufthansa shall provide assistance to the families of passengers on board the aircraft without regard to an individual s status as a passenger. The families of non-revenue passengers, including flight crew and cabin crew, will be provided the same treatment and receive the same assistance as the families of revenue passengers and will be included in the terminology "passenger" throughout this document Lufthansa is committed to cooperating with government agencies and independent organizations to assure that in the event of an aircraft accident survivors and family members are treated with dignity and respect and that the cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of those involved is respected and accommodated. Lufthansa further assures that to the extent possible, Lufthansa will adhere to the wishes of survivors and families of passengers in all matters pertaining to passengers. Resources for the Plan Lufthansa will commit sufficient resources to carry out this Plan and will provide adequate training to its employees and agents to meet the needs of survivors and family members. Lufthansa maintains programs utilizing a spectrum of individual and technological resources in the event of an accident. Designated employees are assigned to functions including media relations, accident investigation, liaison with government agencies, medical and station support and relief teams. Certain specialized services may be provided by contractors engaged by Lufthansa with expertise in those areas. Lufthansa has established cooperative working relationships between all internal and external organizations involved in the crisis, and has specifically designed its

2 emergency response procedures to allow separate management of the crisis and to continue safe operation of the Airline. Training of Employees and Agents Lufthansa provides initial and refresher training to its volunteer employees and agents, as may be required to meet the needs of survivors and family members following an accident. Lufthansa will maintain a list of all personnel who have been trained to provide assistance as required by this Plan. Toll-Free Telephone Number In the event of an aircraft accident, Lufthansa will establish a reliable toll-free telephone number dedicated to the accident related calls and publicize the tollfree number as soon as possible after its Operations Center receives confirmation that an aircraft operated by Lufthansa has been involved in an accident resulting in serious injuries and/or fatalities. Toll-free phones will be staffed by members of the Passenger Service Team located in Frankfurt/Germany. Depending on the severity of the event, the Airlines reservations center may be used for family calls as well. Routine reservations calls will then be redistributed to other reservations offices. In addition to the inquiry center in Frankfurt, United Airlines will set up a toll-free inquiry center on our behalf for all US calls. Depending on the severity of the event, Lufthansa s reservations center in Peterborough Canada, responsible for the US market, may be used for family calls. Routine reservation calls will redistributed to other reservation offices. The Passenger Service Teams will only answer calls from passengers or families of passengers. Any calls from the media will be transferred and handled by the Lufthansa Corporate Communications Department in Frankfurt/Germany and by the UA Public Relations Office in Chicago on the airlines behalf. Lufthansa will only provide information which has been authorized for release. Notification of Passengers Families As soon as passenger information is verified, Lufthansa shall notify the passengers families involved in such accident. Such notice shall be provided by using the services of either the organization designated for the accident or other suitably trained individuals. Lufthansa will not publically release any passenger s name.

3 Immediately after receiving confirmation that an aircraft operated by Lufthansa is involved in an accident preliminary passenger manifest will be compiled by comparing verified data at the departure airport to the booking list, including those individuals not previously booked and standby passengers. Upon request of the family of a passenger, Lufthansa will inform the family of whether the passenger s name appeared on a preliminary passenger manifest for the flight involved in the accident. Once this initial process is complete, the Airline s Command Center at its principal office in Frankfurt, Germany shall distribute the preliminary list internally to the appropriate departments so the notification process can proceed while the list is further verified. The Airline s Passenger Care Center will search each Passenger Name Record (PNR) for telephone numbers and other helpful information in order to determine the passengers next-of-kin and establish contact through the Passenger Service Team at the Airline s German Call Center and at Lufthansa s regional office in New York. The Passenger Service Team shall be comprised of individuals suitably trained to handle these matters. The preliminary list will also be made available to all inquiry centers. After obtaining contact information either from callers or from the preliminary list the Passenger Service Team members will return calls to the family and/or next-of-kin. Trained Care Team Members are dedicated to each family, and are ready to travel to the family s location to provide personal assistance and logistical support. Passenger List Lufthansa shall provide, upon request, a list of the names of the passengers aboard the aircraft and any updates of such a list, based upon the best available information at the time of the request, to the Director of Family Support Services designated by NTSB and to the organization designated for the accident under 49 U.S.C. 1136(a) (1) and (2) respectively. This list shall be based on the best available information at the time of the request and shall be updated as information becomes available. The Passenger Care Team Center shall be responsible for transmission of the passenger name list and subsequent updates to the receiving agencies. Remains and Effects The NTSB has primary responsibility for facilitating the recovery and identification of fatally injured passengers involved in an accident. Local medical examiners, coroners or other designated authorities are responsible for the recovery, identification and disposition of remains and for providing official notification to

4 the family. Once notification to families has been made, Lufthansa will consult with the family and concerning the disposition of any remains or personal effects identified as those of the passenger that are within the control of Lufthansa. Return of Possessions For personal effects which are within the control of Lufthansa, and can be identified as belonging to the passenger, Lufthansa, or its representative, will return the possessions, regardless of condition, to the family, unless the possessions are needed for the accident investigation. After returning all identifiable possessions, Lufthansa will retain any unclaimed possessions within its control for at least 18 months. Lufthansa, or its representative, will create an inventory of these items and store them. Service and Assistance to Families of Passengers Lufthansa will work with and assist any organization designated under 49 U.S.C. 1136(a)(2), on an ongoing basis, to ensure that families of passengers receive an appropriate level of service and assistance following an accident. Lufthansa shall cooperate and consult with any such organization and provide reasonable compensation for services provided by the organization. Lufthansa will request, and expect to be provided with, a plan of tasks to be performed by the organization and anticipated expenses prior to the designated organization s deployment, and receive an itemized list of services rendered, expenses and supporting documentation before payment is made. Lufthansa will cooperate with such organizations and local government agencies to secure a suitable facility to isolate families from any intrusions by the media and by unwelcome solicitors at the accident flight s origin and/or destination, or other location. Consultation on Carrier Response not Covered by the Plan Lufthansa will consult with the NTSB and the Department of State on the provision of the assistance to United States citizens within the United States with respect to an aircraft accident outside the United States involving major loss of life. Family Travel to Location of Accident Lufthansa will provide for the families reasonable physical care,

5 accommodations and transportation. This includes travel to the location of the accident, if desired. Lufthansa will maintain regular contact with survivors and families who decide not to travel to the site. Upon request, Lufthansa will work with the responsible authorities to arrange family visit to the accident site. Access to site may be limited by terrain, biohazard and/or hazardous materials concerns, security measures or other unforeseen conditions. Monuments Lufthansa will consult with the family of each passenger about the construction by Lufthansa of any monument to the passengers in the United States, including any inscription on the monument. Passenger and families of passengers will be provided with an opportunity to visit the monument once construction is complete. Notification to Property Owners In the event of an accident that involves significant ground damage to nongovernmental property, Lufthansa will notify the owner of the property about liability for any property damage and the means for obtaining compensation. The notification, at a minimum shall advise the property owner to: (1) contact the property s insurer for information about coverage and compensation; (2) not rely on unofficial information from the Airline s representative about compensation; and (3) obtain photographic or other detailed evidence about property damage as soon as practicable. Electronic Access to NTSB Meeting In the case of an accident in which the NTSB conducts a public hearing at a location that is more than 80 miles from the accident site, Lufthansa will ensure that the hearing will be available simultaneously by electronic means to a location open to the public at both the origin city and destination city of the flight, if that city is within the United States.