The course aims to provide students with knowledge of the regime on the liability of the air carrier in cases of bodily injury or death, for the compensation of damages incurred by passengers and shippers of cargo, including damage caused by delay. To this end, the course studies the application of private international air law conventions, namely the Montreal Convention (1999) and Warsaw Convention (1929), and their jurisdiction over claims arising on an international contract of carriage by air.
Other topics that are covered pertain to third-party liability for compensation of damages caused to third parties on the ground; insurance; and product liability. Recent developments in the area of air passenger protection regulations, with special attention to those of the EU, will also be studied. Each topic will be illustrated by relevant court decisions.
Outcome:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
Define the fundamental principles of private international air law;
Explain the rules and their applicability for liability as addressed under private air law;
Identify the legal issues pertaining to private air law matters and the most important case law and come with analyses and possible ways of addressing these issues;
Apply private air law instruments and case law at the international and EU level;
Solve practical case studies; and
Undertake an individual research project in the area of private air law.
