This course examines the major international law and case law that govern the carriage by air of passengers, baggage and cargo. It focuses on the laws that determine liability in the event of an air 'accident' involving injury to, or assault of, passengers, or where damage to, or loss of cargo or baggage occurs. The course includes a close examination of the Montreal, Chicago, Rome and Warsaw Conventions and topical issues such as aviation security, DVT claims and incidents of air rage.

Successful completion of the course will enable students to apply appropriate principles and rules to factual situations involving aviation accidents; to advise clients correctly on the liabilities involved; and articulate the shortcomings of existing international arrangements and evaluate proposals for change.

Topics covered include:

  • inter-governmental aviation disputes
  • the legal status of territorial and international airspace under the Chicago Convention
  • bilateral and multilateral regulation of commercial rights for the operation of international air services
  • air carrier liability for passengers, baggage and cargo 
  • air carrier liability for surface damage and injury to third parties on the ground
  • issues affecting aviation and airport security such as hijacking, air rage and terrorism
  • jurisprudence associated with each convention 
  • contemporary initiatives such as the inter-carrier agreements, the European Union Regulation on Air Carriers’ Liability, The Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment, the Montreal Convention of 1999 and the Unlawful Interferences Convention (2009)

Associate Professor Vernon Nase

Vernon Nase Dr Vernon Nase is an Associate Professor at Curtin University where he teaches torts, aviation law, space law and international mooting. He was Foundation Director of the Hong Kong Centre for Maritime and Transportation Law and writes widely in the areas of air and space law. His most recent articles in the Journal of Air Law and Commerce were on the topics of air rage, the Tokyo Convention Protocol and a legal analysis of issues arising out of the MH17 crash (at press). He holds a PhD from UQ Law, is a member of the International Institute of Space Law and was a co-editor of Aviation Briefs for the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Course information

Course code
LAWS7899

Course profile

CPD

This course may also be taken as a CPD course or a non-award course. 

CPD details and applications