In case of an air accident, airlines, dispatchers, the airport and authorities have many common tasks. Each of them forms work units within their own spheres which differ from the usual organisation. In that case, the following problems – among others – may occur:

• Offices and equipment are meant for everyday business
• Routine work has to go on, customers are waiting
• More staff, more telephones and more space will be needed
• Controlled work is no longer possible
• No regulated exchange of information, poor documentation
• Overlappings, the same tasks are performed (superfluously) by different institutions, omissions
• Lacking comprehensive foreign language skills
• Long distances, futile calls
• Dissatisfied passengers, next of kin and friends
• Analysis

Neither airlines, dispatchers, authorities, nor the airport are able to cope with such a situation in a comprehensive and competent way on their own. An institution which would be necessary and appropriate in this case did not exist. To manage such a situation, we all need cooperation and especially the good will of all parties involved.

Problem solving

Creation of a joint institution for information and communication in emergencies which permits

• fast and effective,
• economically reasonable,
• safe and competent

cooperation of all parties concerned.

Many contributed to the problem solving and implementation.

I wish to thank in particular Mrs. Trisha Windsor and Mrs. Dagmar Forster, Mr. Collin Newman, Ben Nicholson, Stuart Jones, Mel Sawden, Ronald Tayior, Rainer Ziegowski, Günther Eisgruber, Willi Hermsen, Mr. Vill, Brendlin, Trautmann, Ross, Torsten-Meyer, Dr. Hammel, Gruschl, Wühle, Hagen, Kaltenbach, the many helping hands of the Munich Airport GmbH, Mr. Director Birk, Mr. Scheibelhuber and my colleagues Eckmann, Birnkammer, Schönhofer, Guttschick, Kieninger and the ladies of the police, as representatives of many others. I should also like to thank in particular Mr. Gutschi and Mr. Jürgensen for their support and will to cooperate.

Wolfgang Ernst
Munich Airport
Franz Josef Strauß
11. Oct. 1995