Parliament passes Carriage by Air amendment Bill, 2015

Parliament has passed the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to empower Union government to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation as per the Montreal Convention which India accepted in 2009.
The bill was first passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2015 and later it was passed by the Rajya in March 2016. Now it will go for the Presidential assent as per Article 111 of Constitution.
Key facts

• The Bill seeks to amend the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation in order adhere with the global counterparts.
• Empowers Union government to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation as per the Montreal Convention.
• Empowers Union Government to make rules to carry out provisions of the Act.
• The Bill intends to raise the liability limit for damage in case of delay, injury or death to each person.
• It also intends to revise the liability limits in case of damage, loss, or delay of baggage and cargo as per global counterparts.

The Carriage by Air Act, 1972: Regulates carriage by air by giving effect to the Warsaw Convention, 1929 and as amended by Hague Protocol, 1955 and the Montreal Convention, 1999.  It also provides for application of the international aviation travel rules to domestic travel, subject to exceptions and adaptations.
The Montreal Convention, 1999: It establishes airline liability in the case of injury, death or delay to passengers. It also includes liability in cases of damage or loss or delay of baggage and cargo. It also mandates that every five years, limits of liability of the air carriers should be reviewed.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016