FRONTIER. S;~~'., 07J~ .J(] July 29, 2013

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1 FRONTIER. Frontier Airlines, Inc. Frontier Center One 7001 Tower Road Denver, CO frontierairlines.com.j(] July 29, 2013 Dockets - Dockets OST U.S. Department of Transportation 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room PL 401 Washington, D.C To Whom It May Concern: In compliance with public law which requires that certified air carriers submit to the Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board assurances for their respective plans to address the needs of families and passengers involved in aircraft accidents. Attached is the complete Frontier Airlines Emergency Response and Family Assistance submission.. Also attached please find an updated 24-hour telephone number for the Frontier Airlines operations center (dispatch), for use in the event of an emergency. S;~~'., 07J~ DOUg/X. Diehl Director of Safety Frontier Airlines

2 FRONTIER AIRUNES Plan for Addressingthe Needs of Passengers, Family Members and Loved Ones Involved in an Aviation Disaster Submitted to: The National Transportation Safety Board and The U.S. Department of Transportation July 29, 2013

3 FRONT ER iii WiftiII I'. EMERGENCYRESPONSE Table of Contents Introduction 3 Pre-Response Plannlng Personnel and Functions '.' Aviation Safety.4 Family Assistance Team Leaders and Team Members Other Frontier Departments and Vendors 5 Training Frontier Reservations Centers Family Assistance call Center... : :.. 6 Family Assistance Training :... 6 Exercises and Corporate Drills Pre-Response Planning with Government Authorities 7 Activating Family Assistance 7 Passenger Identification and Family Notification 9 Manifest Reconciliation Frontier Will Provide a Copy of the Passenger Manifest to the NTSB 9 Release of Passenger and Family Member Information 10 Badging Assistance to Passengers and Families Scope of Potential Assistance The Joint Family Support Operations Center (JFSOC) 11 Personal Effects Airline Sponsored Monument American Red Cross " 12 Department of State Department of Justice 12 Property Damage Public Hearings Frontier Airlines Emergency Contact Information Pg.2 Rev0 07(29(13

4 FRONTIER EMERGENCYRESPONSE INTRODUCTION The Aviation Disaster Famiiy Assistance Act of 1996, as amended by the Wendell H, Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century and the Vision 100 Century of Aviation Re-authorization Act requires that air carriers certified by the U,S. Department of Transportation (DOT) file with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Department of Transportation "a plan for addressing the needs of the families of passengers involved in any aircraft accident involving an aircraft of the air carrier and resulting in a major ioss of life." Frontier Airlines integrates family assistance and our emergency response functions in our Emergency Response Plan. We contract with Empathia to act as the assistance component of Frontier's Family Assistance Program. Frontier has an organizational infrastructure supported by well-trained personnel who can meet the needs of survivors and families in a compassionate and professional manner. Frontier will formally activate our Emergency Response Plan if one of our aircraft is invoived in a fatal accident. At our discretion, we may activate family assistance and/or emergency response components in other situations, particularly those in which persons are hospitalized for serious injuries. Frontier wiil activate the Emergency Response Plan for an accident that operates as Frontier and may activate it for a code share partner. Upon activation of the Emergency Response Plan, Frontier will deploy personnei with appropriate response skills and resources as well the Empathia professionals to assist survivors, famiiy members and loved ones. The family assistance component is designed to support and provide for the personal, logistical and communication needs of families and passengers. This support is provided in an atmosphere of dignity and respect for diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Frontier intends to provide comparable assistance to all survivors and families directly affected by an aircraft accident, including revenue passengers, crewmembers and non-revenue passengers. PRE-RESPONSE PLANNING Frontier places great importance on our ability to respond effectively in a crisis. Emergency management is centralized at a high level in the company's organization through the Safety Department. In an emergency, the Safety Team works directly with the airline's executive management team, which is composed of high-ranking company officers. Frontier's phiiosophy of emergency management relies on interlocking structures for emergency response and famiiy assistance. Frontier designed its Emergency Response Plan to anticipate and identify, using functional checklists, most actions required in an emergency. In the event of an aircraft accident or other catastrophe, emergency response personnel activate teams and command centers appropriate to the event. Frontier integrates famiiy assistance and emergency response in its planning, simuiations, training and exercises. Frontier is constantly reviewing and improving our approach to emergency response family assistance and the various elements of pre-response planning Pg.3 Rev0 07/29/13

5 FRONTIER EMERGENCvRESPONSE PERSONNEL AND FUNCTIONS Frontier commits sufficient family assistance resources to meet the needs of passengers and families. All Frontier departments contribute to and participate in Frontier's Emergency Management Pian. The Director of Safety and his or her staff administer the program. Personnel from other departments are assembled on the basis of expertise to create functional groupings that cross formal departmental lines. The functional groupings are described in more detail below. AVIATION SAFETY Frontier's Safety Department manages the requirements of the Victim Support Tasks, (VSTs), including family assistance. This department manages airline-wide responsibilities as well as working closely with various vendors on a continued basis. Personnel from a variety of Frontier operating departments, including Reservations, Flight Operations, Station Operations, Inflight and Maintenance are present to coordinate a response to operational concerns. The Director of Safety manages the team. This individual reports to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. The Director of Safety oversees all emergency management activities and is supported by coordinators for emergency response and family assistance. In the event of an aircraft accident, the Director of Safety works closely with company officers to evaluate the situation and determine which elements of the Emergency Response Plan to activate. Frontier will formaily activate the emergency response component in response to an incident or accident involving an operating aircraft. Other situations may call for an informal response. Emergency responders will coordinate and share information with the family assistance staff for the duration of the emergency. The Chief Operating Officer decides whether to activate the family assistance component and, in coordination with the NTSB, decides if, when, and where to establish a Joint Family Support Operations Center (JFSOC). When the Emergency Response Plan Is activated, members of the Family Assistance Go Team travel to the accident site. Family Assistance Team members are assigned to survivors, family members and loved ones of all victims. The Chief Executive Officer or designee will be the airline's representative to the Director of Transportation Disaster Services. This individual will travel to various locations, such as the accident site, morgue, JFSOC and family assistance center. This individual will have the authority or ready access to those who have sufficient authority to make decisions on behalf ofthe airline. FAMILY ASSISTANCE TEAM LEADERS AND TEAM MEMBERS Upon family assistance activation, Empathia professionals will be deployed to support family members and loved ones. These team members have successfully completed training in family assistance principles. They will perform all family and survivor escort functions and many administrative functions Pg.4 Rev0 07/29/13

6 FRONTIER EMERGENCY RESPONSE Empathia maintains a database for Family Assistance Team members, which includes a description of the members' background and training. This information is helpful in determining assignment to family members, I.e., language needs, religion, or other specific needs. Family Assistance Team members may be called upon to perform a variety of family assistance functions. They may be assigned to survivors or family members located throughout the country, to the accident site, to previous or next stations on the line of flight or to support the Call Center. Family Assistance Team leaders are primariiy comprised of Frontier employees who have attended initial and recurrent annual training. They have been selected for their ability to manage and support Family Assistance Team members. Each team leader will be assigned six to eight team members. OTHER FRONTIER DEPARTMENTS AND VENDORS An aircraft accident will require immediate participation by personnel throughout the company working within their areas of expertise. Some of the company's departments that support or coordinate family assistance include Flight Operations, Corporate Communications, Customer Service, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology. Frontier Airlines realizes that when contracting requirements to vendors, ultimate responsibility continues to lie with the airline; therefore, we work closely with and consistently monitor the performance of our vendors. TRAINING The Ford Act requires U.S. and foreign air carriers to assure that they will "provide adequate training to,the employees and agents of the carrier to meet the needs of survivors and family members following an accident." To satisfy this requirement, Frontier has developed a curriculum for initial and recurrent training for all responders. Frontier has reviewed and approved vendor training. Additionally, vendor leadership personnel are invited to participate in Frontier responder training and exercises. 1. Frontier Station Personnel Airline employees at the departure, arrival and connecting stations are very likely to have direct contact with survivors and family members. They are required to assist famiiy members as they travel to and from the site by informing flight crews and airport personnel that family members are on particular flights. At departure, connecting, and arrival airports, family members should have airline personnel meet and assist them while at the airport. If necessary, Frontier will seek assistance from other carriers. To ensure that these individuals are prepared, Frontier has developed initial and recurrent training for station personnel who serve in a customer service position at Frontier stations. Managers and supervisors who have completed this training will be responsible for ensuring that new empioyees and contract personnel for whom they are responsible receive training Pg.S Rev0 07/29/13

7 FRONTIER EMERGENCY RESPONSE 2. Frontier Reservations centers Call centers are responsible for: a. Obtaining contact information from family members who believe their one was onboard the aircraft. (Prior to the activation of the Family Assistance Call Center) b. Providing inquiring family members and loved ones with the toll free family assistance toll free number. c. Manifest Reconciliation. Frontier provides training for reservations agents and other personnel who could field incoming calls regarding the accident. This training class is required for all reservation agents at Frontier. This training focuses on the process obtaining information from callers prior to the Family Assistance call center being set up and directing potential family members or loved ones to the Family Assistance call center once established. Empathia will activate these call center within 60 minutes of notification of an accident. 3. Family Assistance call center Frontier is required by the Ford Act to advise immediate family members that an individuals' name is on the preliminary passenger manifest. Frontier will rely on Empathia professionals to handle those calls. These professionals will also serve as a family member's primary liaison with Frontier until the manifest reconciliation process is complete and the family is assigned individual family support. Frontier will also rely on Empathia professionals to provide additional information during the manifest reconciliation process to qualified individuals. While their professional education is excellent preparation for family assistance activities, we ensure they receive additional training on Frontier Airlines' Emergency Response Pian. Frontier and Empathia will establish and maintain communication throughout the manifest reconciliation process. Upon identification of potentiai family members, Empathia will place outbound calls to family members. 4. Family Assistance Training This training employs a combination of lectures, video clips, workbook exercises and skills practice. Instructors emphasize that each situation is unique and that Family Assistance Team Leaders and Members will need to adapt the principles they learn to the specific and individual needs of each survivor orfamily member. One goal of the course is to explain Frontie~s Family Assistance poiicies. Introductory material provides trainees with an overview of the emergency response process and Family Assistance activation. Trainees are given guidelines and procedures for providing logistical and communication support to families. A second course goal is to prepare team members and leaders for the emotionaliy sensitive environment in which they will operate. Trainees and instructors discuss the unique experiences and traumas associated with aircraft disasters Pg.6 Rev0 07/29/13

8 FRONTIER FRONTIER AIRLINES EMER(;ENCY RESPONSE MANUAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE Training provides communication guidelines and skills for working with families. Instructors also provide guidelines for relating effectively to distressed individuals. Special emphasis is placed on family notification, The program also discusses interaction skills dealing with other parties in a post-accident environment; such as the media, attorneys and insurers. Finally, the course addresses Family Assistance Leaders and Members personal emotional and physicai care during activation. It is crucial to maintain their emotional stability to be able to provide effective family assistance support. EXERCISES AND CORPORATE DRILLS Periodic exercises and drills are essential to ensure effectiveness of our emergency response program and family assistance components. Frontier performs one full-scale, company-wide exercise and many departmental and station exercises annually. In addition to requiring onduty and off-duty employees to respond to the exercise, we promote the participation of outside agencies and organizations to develop a realistic setting for role-playing. All of these exercises provide Frontier a useful opportunity to reinforce employee knowledge and to evaluate and update programs. PRE-RESPONSE PLANNING WITH GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES Many other federal, state, and local authorities also have important roles in Frontier's Emergency Response Plan. Frontier has sought to coordinate its pre-response planning with them. Frontier has been active in working groups that includes various federal emergency response and law enforcement agencies to define the respective roles and responsibilities of carriers and various government agencies. Locally, Frontier organizes station emergency response plans in consultation with airport, law enforcement, airport rescue fire fighters and medical authorities and the American Red Cross. ACTIVATING FAMILY ASSISTANCE Frontier's Chief Operating Officer is responsible for decisions regarding family assistance activation. The following tasks are involved in activating Frontier's family assistance component in response to an aviation disaster: 1. The Frontier station involved will notify Frontier's System Operations Control (SOC). 2, SOC will gather details about the accident and in coordination with the executive officers determine the severity of the accident and the appropriate response. 3. MIR3 (automated notification system) will begin a series of telephone calls to mobilize personnel identified as members of the Go Team, Family Assistance and headquarters support staff. 4. The Director of Operations (or designee) will notify the NTSB's Washington communication center at (202) and the appropriate regional office that the accident occurred. 00.Q1 Pg. 7 Rev0 07/29/13

9 FRONTIER EMERGENCY RESPONSE The following information will be provided as it becomes availabie: o Place of the incident (or general vicinity of incident), the number of passengers and crew based on preliminary departure information and number of injured and fataiities if known. o Flight number, origination, connection points and finai destination (if known) and whether the fiight was domestic or international. o Name and teiephone number of the Frontier representative in charge at the accident site. o Name, telephone number and location of the hotel that has been designated as the Joint Family Support Operations Center (JFSOC). o Name and telephone number of the person responsible for the passenger manifest. o Name and telephone number for the person responsibie for family notification. 5. Frontier wi Ii activate a toll-free, public access number and ensure Empathia professionais are prepared to receive inquires. Frontier Corporate Communications Department will be responsibie for releasing the telephone number and ensuring its' widespread dissemination through the media as quickly as possible. Our Corporate Communications Department will ensure the media notice contains the following information: o The number should oniy be used by individuals who have a reason to beiieve a family member or friend was a passenger on the fiight. - o Initial calls to the Frontier are to provide a point of contact with the airiine, provide basic information to the caller, and gather information so Frontier may obtain a point of contact for each passenger. o A confirmation of Frontier's involvement, fiight number, airport of origin, connection and finai destination. In addition, the Corporate Communications Department will provide the media with continuous updates on the progress ofthe notification process, such as providing the number of victims, famiiies notified and the number remaining to be notified. This process will continue until all victims' families have been notified. Upon notification of an accident, Frontier Airlines Reservation offices will change the message heard by callers to direct potential family members to the toll free family and friends number. This message will also include a confirmation of the fiight number, the airport of origin, connection and final destination. Frontier Airiines will secure facilities at departure,.arrival and connecting airports where family members may be initially gathered to protect them from media and solicitors, as well as to receive continuous updates on the reconciiiation of the passenger manifest and other information relating to the accident. 00.Q1 Pg.8 Rev0 07/29/13

10 FRONT ER EMERGENCY RESPONSE PASSENGER IDENTIFICATION AND FAMILY NOTIFICATION The process of identifying passengers involved in an aircraft accident and distributing that information to families, government agencies and the media, requires careful control over information and the timing of its' release to various parties. Personnel trained in crisis response will notify family members, personally and privately, that to the best of our knowledge their loved one was onboard the aircraft. MANIFEST RECONCILIATION A team of Frontier employees, largely part of the Reservations Department, handles the manifest reconciliation function. It operates from dedicated facilities with computer and telephone resources, Empathia professionals assume a supportive role in the manifest reconciliation process. One of Frontier's first tasks will be the verification of passengers actually on board the flight based on the flight's Passenger Name List ("PNL"). The PNL itself often will not provide sufficient detail about passengers for Frontier to initiate family notification and assistance. Frontier and Empathia professionals will seek to obtain verifying information from other sources. One of the main functions of the call center and manifest reconciliation team is to obtain information from families, colleagues and friends of persons who may have been traveling on the flight. When an inquiry is made about a potential passenger, Frontier representatives trained to handle inbound calls will seek to validate members of the immediate family of persons who appear on the preliminary passenger manifest. Information obtained during that initial screening process would be passed to the manifest reconciliation team. The Empathia professionals who handle calls from immediate family members identified during this process will seek to obtain as much additional information as possible. All information used to verify passenger identity would be subject to strict handling procedures to ensure confidentiality. Computerized passenger, crew and aircraft records will be locked immediately once Frontier is notified of an aircraft accident. Additional information will be as held confidential. Release of any information will require the authorization of the Director of Safety or design FRONTIER WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE PASSENGER MANIFEST TO THE NTSB Frontier recognizes the importance of providing timely and accurate passenger information to the NTSB. Frontier, therefore, will provide the NTSB with a passenger list that reflects the best information available at the time of the request. The list will be marked "CONFIDENTIAL - DO NOT RELEASE" and will reflect individual manifest reconciliation status. Each copy will be numbered and annotated so it can be distinguished from previous copies Pg.9 Rev 0 07(29(13

11 FRONT ER EMERGENCY RESPONSE RELEASE OF PASSENGER AND FAMILY MEMBER INFORMATION Frontier's policy is to release information to the media on a specific passenger involved in an aircraft accident only after a reasonable period of time has passed since the passenger's family was notified. Decisions about the release of this information are highly sensitive, with wide-ranging public relations impiications and room for different points of view. Frontier is under no obligation to release the victim's name if family members do not wish the name to be released. Frontier expects to work closely with the NTSB to identify the most appropriate method for disseminating passenger information to the media. Upon initial notification, family members will be offered American Red Cross Assistance. All requests for assistance will be communicated to the American Red Cross. BADGING Frontier Airlines will utilize the services of BMS Global to create and maintain badging system for family members and responders. an on-site ASSISTANCE TO PASSENGERS AND FAMILIES Once the identity of a passenger or other victim has been verified and his or her family contacted, Frontier's Family Assistance Team members will provide assistance with support and logistical needs. This includes providing family members a contact person that will meet them as near their home location as possible and accompany them at the accident site if requested. A person will be responsible for assisting the family while at the site and will continue to be the airline interface with the family untii the family returns to their residence. At that time, the airline will designate a single contact person for all family members. Frontier recognizes that not all family members will be able to travel to the accident site; therefore, a Family Assistance Team Member will be assigned to family members who do not travel to the accident site. SCOPE OF POTENTIAL ASSISTANCE In order to ensure Family Assistance is available at ali times, Frontier wili provide Family Assistance Team members for each passenger or family affected by an aircraft accident. Recognizing that each passenger or family will have unique needs and to enable them to deal with the circumstances arising from the accident, the company has not set hard-and-fast rules regarding the type or level of support may be needed. Examples of support include: Security Food Clothing Locating luggage Replace lost personal effects Hotel accommodations Air transportation Pg.10 Rev0 07/29/13

12 FRONT ER EMERGENCY RESPONSE Ground transportation Elder care Child care Family Assistance Team Members will play the most comprehensive role in supporting families of deceased passengers or other victims. In addition to the types of services discussed above, they will offer to transport. and often will accompany these families to the funeral home or memorial services. Family Assistance Team Members will be available to assist local medical examiners or coroners. the NTSB and the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team in efforts to obtain medical. dental and other records needed to identify deceased passengers. Family members will be informed that packages should be addressed to the Director of Transportation Disaster Services at the location of the JFSOC. If the family is coming to the site within 48 hours, the family may arrange to hand carry these documents. It should be explained that dental records and x-rays are critical in the victim identification. process. If the family is already at the site or arrives without making arrangements with their dentist, Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) personnel will coordinate with the family's dentist to obtain dental records and x-rays. Family Assistance Team members will be available to support funeral arrangements and coordinate transportation services for remains and personal effects. The Family Assistance team is designed to continue serving families' logistical needs as long as reasonably required. Frontier anticipates that it will work activeiy with the NTSB and the American Red Cross and other designated organizations during the family assistance process. THE JOINT FAMILY SUPPORT OPERATIONS CENTER (JFSOC) Frontier will establish at the accident site or other appropriate location, a facility from which Frontier and the NTSB (along with representatives of other participating agencies) can operate. This JFSOC will include adequate space, communications and logistical support that will facilitate regular interaction. close coordination and joint decision-making concerning diverse aspects of family support. These facilities will be used for private family gatherings, meetings between family members and Family Assistance Team members, the NTSB and DMORT. Members of the JFSOC will also review daily activities, resolve problem areas and synchronize future famiiy support operations. Frontier will set up the JFSOC and. as necessary, will make other facilities available in a manner best addressing the needs of families. These facilities will be used for the private gathering of families away from the media, private meetings between families and Family Assistance Team Members, private discussions between families, the NTSB and the DMORT. Frontier recognizes that the well-being of family escorts must be maintained to ensure effective support offamilies and survivors. The Family Assistance Leader will emphasize the need for Family Assistance Team Members to monitor their well-being. Daily debriefings with mental health professionals will help ensure emotional support during the family assistance process Pg.l1 Rev0 07/29/13

13 FRONTIER EMERGENCYRESPONSE PERSONAL EFFECTS Frontier has made arrangements with BMS Giobal to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to process passengers' personal effects. Frontier will comply with the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act to consult with a passenger's family regarding the disposition of passenger possessions, regardless of condition. Unless needed for the accident investigation or any criminal investigation, unclaimed passenger possessions will be retained for at least 18 months. AIRLINE SPONSORED MONUMENT In coordination with NTSB, Frontier will consult with passengers and their families, before construction of any monument dedicated to the passengers involved in an aircraft accident. Such consultation wili include a discussion of any inscription to be made on the monument. AMERICAN RED CROSS Frontier works on an ongoing basis with the American Red Cross, as the independent organization designated by the NTSB to ensure that the passengers' families receive mental health services. Frontier Airlines will aiso establish a joint liaison with the American Red Cross at each supporting medical treatment facility to track the status of injured victims and to provide assistance to their families. Frontier agrees that upon receipt of itemized expenses and supporting documentation, it will reimburse the American Red Cross for reasonable expenses it incurs in fulfilling its responsibilities to victim's families and survivors. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Frontier wili consult with the Department of State on assistance provided to United States citizens with respect to an aircraft accident outside of the United States. This assistance will be consistent with everything identified in this submission. Frontier will also work with the Department of State to identify foreign nationals involved in an accident in the United States. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE If the accident is declared a crime, Frontier will coordinate with the Department of Justice, Office of Victim Assistance, in arranging meetings with family members to explain their rights PROPERTY DAMAGE Should an accident occur which results in property damage to structures that are not government owned, Frontier will provide written notice to the owner regarding liability as soon as possible. This written notice will advise the property owner to: a. Contact their insurer about coverage and compensation. b. Not to rely on unofficial information given by airline representatives about compensation from Frontier Airlines Pg.12 Reva 07/29/13

14 FRONT ER EMERGENCY RESPONSE c. Advise they.obtain photographs and any other means of evidence of damage done to the property. 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, Frontier Airlines will ensure that the proceeding is made available simuitaneously by eiectronic means at a location open to the public at both the origin city and destination city of the flight if that city is located in the United States. Frontier currently has the capabilities of providing this service. Frontier Airlines Emergency Contact information 24 Hour Emergency Number Contact personnel: John Bendoraitis Chief Operating Officer Jimmy Colburn Director of Operations Douglas Diehl Director of Safety Pg.13 Rev0 07/29/13