(picture via USA Today)

(picture via USA Today)

There is a law (Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act) which requires airlines return property from fatal air crashes to the families of the victims. But, U.S. Airways' Flight 1549, which crash landed in the Hudson River had no fatalities and, therefore, was not covered by this law.

U.S. Airways was not required to return property because no one died on Flight 1549. Immediately U.S. Airways contacted a Texas-based company that specializes in disaster recoveries.

(Picture via Royal Gazette)

After the plane was loaded on a barge the folks at Global-BMS, the recovery company, began their tedious work to identify and tag every personal item on board Flight 1549, including all items that were in its cargo areas.

As investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began their investigation, Mark Rocco of Global-BMS began to walk through the cabin to look for and tag the many personal items strewn throughout the interior.

He said that the cabin was remarkably intact and the interior looked like it had gone through a dirty car wash. Even the overhead compartments remained closed, and many seats still had their belongings under them. (I think this says a lot about the smoothness of the landing by a very skilled pilot)

One lady said that just before she exited the plane to a life raft she thought about her purse and camera that she had left at her seat and said to herself "I'm not going back to get it."

Another woman remembered her diamond ring that she had put in a suitcase in the overhead compartment. She said she thought she might get her suitcase back, but, figured someone would steal her diamond ring, a gift from her husband on their 25th wedding anniversary.

Everything was wet and soggy with dirty water and jet fuel.

The thousands of items were gathered up and loaded into a refrigerator truck for their long journey to Texas. Mr. Rocco said that his company uses refrigeration, set at freezing, for item recovery because it puts the items in suspended-animation, thus, stops any further deterioration.

Upon arrival in Texas the items were heated to 90 degrees to evaporate the jet fuel. Then, using a biocide to kill mold and bacteria, and finally old-fashioned dry-cleaning. Every item, no matter how small or large was given one-on-one care.

U.S. Airways immediately issued a check for $5000 to assist each person on board with necessary immediate issues, concerns and expenses. And, although U.S. Airways was not liable for return of any of the items the airline paid for the entire recovery effort, shipping of personal property that could be matched to each passenger, and created a secured-website where photographs of items unable to be matched, so passengers could go look and identify their belongings. Nothing was left out.

Asked why U.S. Airways went to such great and expensive lengths to make sure everything was recovered (you got to be impressed by their answer)?

"People have very emotional attachment to items and we care about our customers."

Last month, Fedex boxes began showing up at the doors of the passengers of Flight 1549. The lady who had thought about her purse and coat before exiting to a life raft received her purse and coat, and inside her purse was her camera. The camera did not work anymore, but, her New York vacation pictures were as clear as the day they were taken. And, all the items in her purse were clean, as, well as her purse. She said, "even a handbill she had got at a New York play was clean and inside.

An investment banker from Florida received his laptop back in two-pieces, and his hard drive soaking in deionized water in an attempt to salvage its data.

And, the lady who had put her diamond ring in her suitcase in the overhead, and left her mink coat at her seat? Was she shocked, U.S. Airways sent a representative to her house in North Carolina to deliver her mink coat, fully cleaned, and, best, of all, her diamond ring.

She said the ring looked brand-new!

This is a very touching story because U.S. Airways was not liable for anything. In this day and age, gosh, its so grand to hear a story about compassion, kindness, and just doing what is right.

I think U.S. Airways should be publicly acknowledged for going that extra mile for their customers. Right On, U.S. Airways!!

And, let's not forget the pilot, best remembered in this paragraph from The Royal Gazette in Bermuda:

"Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III managed to guide the Airbus A320 into the Hudson River in one of the most remarkable emergency landings in US aviation history."

10/13/2009 - Related Article:

Additional stories about this recovery --

Flight 1549 passengers face emotional reunion with their luggage:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-05-19-flight-1549-luggage-returned_N.htm

Bazarian is reunited with his river plane crash luggage:
http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d959b330030028&sectionId=60

Hudson River Flight Passengers Finally Receive Luggage:
http://news.cheapflights.com/airlines/2009/05/hudson-river-flight-passengers-finally-receive-luggage.html

And, to end with just a little bit of humor about Flight 1549,
I add this link from Gawker.com:
http://gawker.com/5252385/the-salvage-of-us-airways-flight-1549

Research for this article came from

The Royal Gazette's Amanda Dale
http://www.royalgazette.com

USA Today's Marilyn Adams
http://www.usatoday.com

If you liked this article why not go to the GREEN BOX at the top right of this piece and vote -- CLICK the +.

Creating A World That Works For All - the Common Way Institute (Portland, OR)
http://www.commonway.org

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