Montreal Convention

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Austrian Supreme Court lodges request for CJEU preliminary ruling on Montreal Convention

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 23 August, 2018 - 17:05

According to Article 17 of the MC, an air carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or bodily injury of a passenger upon condition only that the accident which caused the death or injury took place on board the aircraft or in the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking. In Saks v Air France, the US Supreme Court has defined the term "accident" as "an unexpected or unusual event or happening that is external to the passenger" and caused the injury.

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German Supreme Court (BGH) decides on air carrier liability for passenger fall on boarding bridge

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 21 November, 2017 - 16:41

The claimant was about to embark for his flight from Düsseldorf to Hamburg on Feb. 9, 2013, when he slipped on the boarding bridge because of a wet floor caused by condensation. As a result he suffered from a fracture of his patella. He filed a claim for damages against the defendant air carrier. The first instance court (LG Düsseldorf) dismissed the claim and the appelate court (OLG Düsseldorf) confirmed this decision: according to the Montral Convention, the air carrier was only libale for accidents caused by a hazard which was characteristic for aviation.

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U.S. Court: mental anguish compensable under Montreal Convention if it results from an accident that also caused bodily injury

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 26 September, 2017 - 07:53

Plaintiff Jane Doe and her eleven-year-old daughter flew aboard Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi to Chicago. When she stuck her hand into the seat pocket in front of her, she was unexpectedly pricked by a hypodermic needle that lay hidden within. The needle drew blood from her finger.  Doe was prescribed medication for possible exposure to hepatitis, tetanus, and HIV, and she underwent several rounds of testing over the following year. Thankfully for Doe, all the tests came back negative.

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Brazilian courts to apply Montreal Convention, finally?

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 30 May, 2017 - 10:19

According to an article published on "Lexology", on May 25, 2017  the Brazilian Supreme Federal Tribunal has passed a judgement which acknowledges the application of the Montreal Convention in international air transport cases. Although Brazil is party to the Warsaw and the Montreal Convention which both provide for their exclusivity, Brazilian courts have been rather reluctant in applying these conventions and tended to give precedence to national law, in particular the Brazilian Consumer Defence Code.

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Russia to become Member of the Montreal Convention

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 13 April, 2017 - 09:28

 Federal Law No. 52-FZ, published on April 4, 2017 will make Russia part of the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air 1999 (Montreal Convention). The relevant amendments to the Russian Air Code are made by a separate Bill No. 28636-7.

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CJEU: employers can claim for damages under Montreal for their empolyees' flight delays

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 18 February, 2016 - 13:38

Upon request of the Lietuvos Aukščiausiasis Teismas (Supreme Court of Lithuania) in proceedings between Air Baltic Corporation AS (‘Air Baltic’) and Lietuvos Respublikos specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba (Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania - ‘the Investigation Service’), the Court of Justice of the European Union has provided an interpretation of the Montreal Convention.

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USA: DOT reminds airlines on their obligations regarding damaged baggage

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 4 December, 2015 - 11:23

Following a routine airport inspection at 16 airports nationwide in a two week period in September 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a notice reminding airlines that they are required to compensate passengers for damage to wheels, straps, zippers, handles, and other protruding parts of checked baggage beyond normal wear and tear.  The notice also reminds airlines of their obligation to accept all reports of mishandled baggage from consumers even if an airline’s agent believes the airline is not liable.

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Thailand: new International Carriage by Air Act

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 29 April, 2015 - 13:25

Thailand which is not a party of the Montreal Convention yet has adopted a new  International Carriage by Air Act to come into force on May 14, 2015. The Act will apply to domestic and international carriage by air and will replace the application of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code to aviation cargo and passenger claims. It intends to approximate national law to the Montreal Convention of 1999 inter alia by introducing liability limits and a two years limitation period. An English translation of the Thai International Carriage by Air Act B.E.

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German Court: air carrier liable for allergic reaction to hot towel

Submitted by Michael Wukoschitz on 6 May, 2014 - 16:06

In a recent judgement the Oberlandesgericht Frankfurt am Main held that an air carrier was liable for a passenger's allergic reaction to the hot towels distributed during the flight. In October 2010, the plaintiff traveled on a fligth from India to Germany. She told one of the flight attendants that the hot towels could cause an allergic reaction of her body and asked not to distribute these towels during the flight. Despite this request, the towels were distributed and the plaintiff suffered from a respiatory distress which required immediate medical treatment after landing.

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