Amend aircraft victims compensation law: Experts

New Delhi: If an Indian and a foreigner die together in an air crash, the kin of the latter may get 17 times more compensation than that of the former.
The reason for such a glaring discrimination is that India is yet to ratify an international treaty called Montreal Convention, 1999, which ensures higher compensation to the air passengers in case of an accident.
"India is a signatory to it (Montreal Convention) but is yet to ratify it... Thus, regrettably, our own laws have discriminated against our own citizens. This situation must be rectified," Sanat Kaul, a former Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry, has said.
Under the convention, "approximately Rs 70 lakh (or 1,00,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)) is payable by the airline on death irrespective of the its fault."
Above that, the compensation may also include "payments based on the 'presumption of fault' of the carrier" . Signed by 78 countries, the Montreal Convention, 1999, is regarded as the most effective compensation mechanism for the air-crash victims till date. It unifies most of the international regulations regarding compensation.
02/09/07 PTI/Economic Times

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Categories: General Aviation Sep 2007, Safety Sep 2007