Scott Burroughs
Scott is the protagonist. He doesn't belong with the other passengers on the plane because he comes from an entirely different socio-economic sphere than the others. As common among novels of this genre, Scott is a grotesquely cynical protagonist. He is, however, a man of incredible determination and conviction. He swims with the boy several miles to shore with a dislocated arm. After surviving the crash, he is forced to combat the darkness within himself by facing the divisive natures of the people around him -- the media, families of the victims, his own family, etc. He becomes a prime suspect in the investigation of the crash for two reasons: 1) he survived and 2) he recently painted some pieces relating to transportation accidents.
David Bateman
David is a well-respected businessman, who holds a prominent job in the news media. He and his family are onboard the plane when it crashes. David doesn't survive. He owns the plane and chartered it, but, as discovered later in the novel, he seems to have been escaping a serious money laundering investigation.
Maggie Bateman
Maggie also dies in the crash. She's the one who invites Scott on the flight because she and he had formed a casual friendship at the farmers' market. In later chapters of the book it's revealed that she was having an affair with someone who remains anonymous.
JJ Bateman
JJ is the only other survivor of the crash, though his sister Rachel dies along with their parents. He's four years old. After his parents die, JJ is destined to be given over in custody to his mother's sister and her husband. The uncle is a megalomaniac, however, who has no real love are care for the boy. Consequently he has a very hard time recovering from his trauma and becomes attached to Scott.
Bill Cunningham
He is a famous talk show host on the political right wing. He is told that he'll be fired soon if he doesn't gain more viewers, so he takes ahold of the plane crash coverage and whips together a terrorist conspiracy theory that the people eat up. This gets him more money, but he eventually starts accusing Scott of orchestrating the entire affair. He's a desperate man.
Ben Kipling
He is an important man on Wall Street. Invited on the flight along with his wife Sarah, he is a personal friend of the Batemans and an extremely wealthy man. Both of them die in the crash.
Rachel Bateman
She is 9 years old and was kidnapped 3 years prior to the plane crash, which is why the Batemans have personal bodyguards. Rachel died in the crash.
Sarah Kipling
She's the wife of Ben Kipling. Sarah also died in the crash.
Emily Lightner
The flight attendant of the private plane OSPRY 700SL, Emily died in the crash.
