Carriage by Air and Road Act 1979

• Citation: 1979 c. 28
• Sections: 149

Section 1 Alterations of texts of carriage by air convention.

(1) For Schedule 1 to the Carriage by Air Act 1961 (which contains the English and French texts of the Warsaw Convention mentioned in the title to this Act as it has the force of law in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 1 of that Act) there shall be substituted Schedule 1 to this Act (which contains the English and French texts of that Convention as amended by provisions of protocols No. 3 and No. 5 which were signed at Montreal on 25th September 1975).

(2) The said Act of 1961 and the Carriage by Air (Supplementary Provisions) Act 1962 shall have effect with the amendments set out in Schedule 2 to this Act (which are consequential upon the changes of texts made by the preceding subsection or are connnected wiht the coming into force of those texts).

(3) Neither of the preceding subsections shall affect rights and liabilities arising out of an occurrence which took place before the coming into force of that subsection or, if the subsection comes into force in pursuance of section 7(2) of this Act for some purposes only, arising out of an occurrence which took place before it comes into force for those purposes.

Section 2 Modification of article 26(2) of carriage by air convention.

(1) In the Carriage by Air Act 1961, after section 4 there shall be inserted the following section —

Notice of partial loss.

(4A)

(1) In Article 26(2) the references to damage shall be construed as including loss of part of the baggage or cargo in question and the reference to the receipt of baggage or cargo shall, in relation to loss of part of it, be construed as receipt of the remainder of it.

(2) It is hereby declared, without prejudice to the operation of any other section of this Act, that the reference to Article 26(2) in the preceding subsection is to Article 26(2) as set out in Part I and Part II of the First Schedule to this Act.

(2) This section shall come into force at the passing of this Act but shall not apply to loss which occurred before the passing of this Act.

Section 3 Amendment of Acts relating to carriage by air or road in consequence of revision of relevant conventions.

(1) In the Carriage by Air Act 1961, after section 8 there shall be inserted the following section —

Amendments consequential on revision of Convention.

(8A)

(1) If at any time it appears to Her Majesty in Council that Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have agreed to a revision of the Convention, Her Majesty may by Order in Council provide that this Act, the Carriage by Air (Supplementary Provisions) Act 1962 and section 5(1) of the Carriage by Air and Road Act 1979 shall have effect subject to such exceptions, adaptations and modifications as Her Majesty considers appropriate in consequence of the revision.

(2) In the preceding subsection “ revision ” means an omission from, addition to or alteration of the Convention and includes repalacement of the Convention or part of it by another convention.

(3) An Order in Council under this section shall not be made unless a draft of the Order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(2) In the Carriage by Air (Supplementary Provisions) Act 1962, after section 4 there shall be inserted the following section —

Amendments consequential on revision of Supplementary Convention.

(4A)

(1) Section 8A of the said Act of 1961 (which among other things enables Her Majesty in Council to alter that Act and this Act in consequence of any revision of the convention to which that Act the Convention in the Schedule to this Act as it has effect in relation to a revision of the Convention mentioned in that section but as if the reference in that section to the said Act of 1961 were omitted.

(2) An order under the said section 8A may relate both to that Act and this Act ; and in the preceding subsection “ revision ”, in relation to the Convention in the Schedule to this Act, means an omission from, addition to or alteration of that Convention and includes replacement of that Conventionofpart of it by another convention.

(3) In the Carriage of Goods by Road Act 1965, after section 8 there shall be inserted the following section —

Amendments consequential on revision of Convention.

(8A)

(1) If at any time it appears to Her Majesty in Council that Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have agreed to any revision of the Convention, Her Majesty may by Order in Council make such amendment of —

(a) the provisions set out in the Schedule to this Act ; and

(b) the definition of, and references in this Act to, or to particular provisions of, the Convention ; and

(c) section 5(1) of the Carriage by Air and Road Act 1979,

as appear to Her to be appropriate in consequence of the revision.

(2) In the preceding subsection “ revision ”means an omission from, addition to or alteration of the Convention and includes replacement of the Convention or part of it by another convention.

(3) An order in Council under this section shall not be made unless a draft of the Order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 4 Replacement of gold francs by special drawing rights for the purposes of certain enactments relating to carriage by air or road.

(1) Schedule 1 to the as originally enacted shall have effect with the following amendments, namely —

(a) in Article 22 of Part I of that Schedule (which among other things provides that the liability of a carrier is limited to two hundred and fifty thousand francs for each passenger and two hundred and fifty francs per kilogramme of cargo and registered baggage unless a higher limit is agreed and to five thousand francs for objects of which a passenger takes charge himself) —

(i) for the words “two hundred and fifty thousand francs” where they first occur and the words “two hundred and fifty francs” and “five thousand francs” there shall be substituted respectively the words “16,600 special drawing rights”, “17 special drawing rights”and “332 special drawing rights”,

(ii) for the words “two hundred and fifty thousand francs” in the second place where they occur there shall be substituted the words “this limit”, and

(iii) for paragraph (5) there shall be substituted the following paragraph —

(5) The sums mentioned in terms of the special drawing right in this Article shall be deemed to refer to the special drawing right as defined by the International Monetary Fund. Conversion of the sums into national currencies shall, in case of judicial proceedings, be made according to the value of such currencies in terms of the special drawing right at the date of the judgment. ;

(b) in Article 22 of Part II of that Schedule (which contains the corresponding provisions of the French text) —

(i) for the words “deux cent cinquante mille francs”, “deux cent cinquante francs” and “cinq mille francs”there shall be substituted respectively the words “16.600 Droits de Tirage speéciaux”, “17 Droits de Tirage spéciaux”and “332 Droits de Tirage spéciaux”, and

(ii) for paragraph (5) there shall be substituted the folllowing paragraph —

(5) Les sommes indiquées in Drits de Tirage spéciaux dans le présent article sont considérées comme se rapportant au Droit de Tirage spécial tel que défini par le Fonds monétaire international. La conversion de ces sommes en monnaies nationales s’effectuera en cas d’instance judiciaire suivant la valeur de ces monnaies en Droit de Tirage spécial à la date du jugement. ;

but nothing in this subsection affects the provisions of Schedule 1 to this Act.

(2) The Schedule to the Carriage of Goods by Road Act 1965 (which contains the text of the Covention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road as it has the force of law in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 1 of that Act) shall have effect with the following amendments, namely —

(a) for paragraph 3 of Article 23 (which provides that compensation for loss of goods shall not exceed 25 francs per kilogram of gross weight short) there shall be substituted the following paragraph —

(3) Compensation shall not, however, exceed 8.33 units of account per kilogram of gross weight short. ;

(b) at the end of Article 23 there shall be inserted the following paragraph —

(7) The unit of account mentioned in this Convention is the Special Drawing Right as defined by the International Monetary Fund. The amount mentioned in paragraph 3 of this article shall be converted into the national currency of the State of the Court seised of the case on the basis of the value of that currency on the date of the judgment or the date agreed upon by the Parties.

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) If judgment in respect of a liability limited by the said Article 22, 23 ... is given—

(a) in the case of a liability limited by the said Article 22, at a time when the amendments made by this section to that Article are in force for the purposes of the liability; or

(b) in any other case, at a time when the amendments made by this section to the other Article in question are in force,

then, notwithstanding that the liability arose before the amendments in question came into force, the judgment shall be in accordance with that Article as amended by this section ... .

Section 5 Conversion of special drawing rights into sterling.

(1) For the purposes of Articles 22 and 22A of Schedule 1 to this Act and the Articles 22, 23 ... mentioned in the preceding section as amended by that section, the value on a particular day of one special drawing right shall be treated as equal to such a sum in sterling as the International Monetary Fund have fixed as being the equivalent of one special drawing right—

(a) for that day; or

(b) if no sum has been so fixed for that day, for the last day before that day for which a sum has been so fixed.

(2) A certificate given by or on behalf of the Treasury stating—

(a) that a particular sum in sterling has been fixed as aforesaid for a particular day; or

(b) that no sum has been so fixed for a particular day and that a particular sum in sterling has been so fixed for a day which is the last day for which a sum has been so fixed before the particular day,

shall be conclusive evidence of those matters for the purposes of the preceding subsection; and a document purporting to be such a certificate shall in any proceedings be received in evidence and, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be such a certificate.

(3) The Treasury may charge a reasonaable fee for any certificate given by or on behalf of the Treasury in pursuance of the preceding subsection, and any fee received by the Treasury by virtue of this subsection shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

Section 6 Supplemental.

(1) It is hereby declared that the powers to make Orders in Council conferred by—

(a) sections 8A, 9 and 10 of the Carriage by Air Act 1961 (which provide for the amendment of that Act and other Acts in consequence of a revision of the relevant convention and for the application of that Act to the countries mentioned in section 9 and to such carriage by air as is mentioned in section 10); and

(b) sections 8, 8A and 9 of the Carriage of Goods by Road Act 1965 (which provide for the resolution of conflicts between provisions of that Act and certain other provisions relating to carriage by road, for the amendment of that Act in consequence of a revision of the relevant convention and for the application of that Act to the countries mentioned in section 9); ...

(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

include power to make Orders in Council in respect of the Act in question as amended by this Act.

(2) It is hereby declared that Schedule 1 to the said Act of 1961 as originally enacted or, if subsection (1) of section 4 of this Act has come into force, as amended by that subsection, remains in force in relation to any matter in relation to which Schedule 1 to this Act is not for the time being in force and that the reference to Schedule 1 to that Act in section 2(1)(b) of the Carriage by Air (Supplementary Provisions) Act 1962 is to be construed as a reference to both the Schedules 1 aforesaid so far as each is for the time being in force.

(3) This Act binds the Crown.

(4) The following provisions (which are superseded by this Act) are hereby repealed, namely —

(a) section 4(4) of the said Act of 1961 ;

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 7 Short title and commencement.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Carriage by Air and Road Act 1979.

(2) This Act, except section 2, shall come into force on such day as Her Majesty may by Order in Council appoint, and—

(a) different days may be appointed in pursuance of this subsection for different provisions of this Act or for different purposes of the same provision;

(b) it is hereby declared that a day or days may be appointed in pursuance of this subsection in respect of subsection (1) of section 1 of this Act and Schedule 1 to this Act notwithstanding that the protocols mentioned in that subsection are not in force in accordance with the provisions in that behalf of those protocols.

Section 1

This Convention applies to all international carriage of persons, baggage or cargo performed by aircraft for reward. lt applies equally to gratuitous carriage by aircraft performed by an air transport undertaking.

Section 1

This Convention applies to carriage performed by the State or by legally constituted public bodies provided it falls within the conditions laid down in Article 1.

Section 1

In respect of the carriage of passengers an individual or collective document of carriage shall be delivered containing:

(a) an indication of the places of departure and destination ;

(b) if the places of departure and destination are within the territory of a single High Contracting Party, one or more agreed stopping places being within the territory of another State, an indication of at least one such stopping place.

Section 1

In respect of the carriage of checked baggage, a baggage check shall be delivered, which, unless combined with or incorporated in a document of carriage which complies with the provisions of Article 3, paragraph (1), shall contain:

(a) an indication of the places of departure and destination ;

(b) if the places of departure and destination are within the territory of a single High Contracting Party, one or more agreed stopping places being within the territory of another State, an indication of at least one such stopping place.

Section 1

In respect of the carriage of cargo an air waybill shall be delivered.

Section 1

The air waybill shall be made out by the consignor in three original parts.

Section 1

The consignor is responsible for the correctness of the particulars and statements relating to the cargo inserted by him or on his behalf in the air waybill or furnished by him or on his behalf to the carrier for insertion in the receipt for the cargo or for insertion in the record preserved by the other means referred to in paragraph (2) of Article 5.

Section 1

The air waybill or the receipt for the cargo is prima facie evidence of the conclusion of the contract, of the acceptance of the cargo and of the conditions of carriage mentioned therein.

Section 1

Subject to his liability to carry out all his obligations under the contract of carriage, the consignor has the right to dispose of the cargo by withdrawing it at the airport of departure or destination, or by stopping it in the course of the journey on any landing, or by calling for it to be delivered at the place of destination or in the course of the journey to a person other than the consignee originally designated, or by requiring it to be returned to the airport of departure. He must not exercise this right of disposition in such a way as to prejudice the carrier or other consignors, and he must repay any expenses occasioned by the exercise of this right.

Section 1

Except when the consignor has exercised his right under Article 12, the consignee is entitled, on arrival of the cargo at the place of destination, to require the carrier to deliver the cargo to him, on payment of the charges due and on complying with the conditions of carriage.

Section 1

Articles 12, 13 and 14 do not affect either the relations of the consignor and the *consignge with each other or the mutual relations of third parties whose rights are derived either from the consignor or from the consignee.

Section 1

The consignor must furnish such information and such documents as are necessary to meet the formalities of customs, octroi or police before the cargo can be delivered to the consignee. The consignor is liable to the carrier for any damage occasioned by the absence, insufficiency or irregularity of any such information or documents, unless the damage is due to the fault of the carrier, his servants or agents.

Section 1

The carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or personal injury of a passenger upon condition only that the event 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. However, the carrier is not liable if the death or injury resulted solely from the state of health of the passenger.

Section 1

The carrier is liable for damage sustained in the event of the destruction or loss of, or damage to, cargo upon condition only that the occurrence which caused the damage so sustained took place during the carriage by air.

Section 1

In the carriage of passengers and baggage, if the carrier proves that the damage was caused or contributed to by the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the person claiming compensation, the carrier shall be wholly or partly exonerated from his liability to such person to the extent that such negligence or wrongful act or omission caused or contributed to the damage. When by reason of the death or injury of a passenger compensation is claimed by a person other than the passenger, the carrier shall likewise be wholly or partly ex(}nerated from his liability to the extent that he proves that the damage was caused or contributed to by the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of that passenger.

Section 1

(a) In the carriage of persons the liability of the carrier is limited to the sum of 100,000 special drawing rights for the aggregate of the claims, however founded, in respect of damage suffered as a result of the death or personal injury of each passenger. Where, in accordance with the law of the court seised of the case, damages may be awarded in the form of periodic payments, the equivalent capital value of the said payments shall not exceed 100,000 special drawing rights.

(b) In the case of delay in the carriage of persons the liability of the carrier for each passenger is limited to 4,150 special drawing rights.

(c) In the carriage of baggage the liability of the carrier in the case of destruction, loss, damage or delay is limited to 1,000 special drawing rights for each passenger.

Section 1

(a) In the carriage of cargo, the liability of the carrier is limited to a sum of 17 special drawing rights per kilogramme, unless the consignor has made, at the time when the package was handed over to the carrier, a special declaration of interest in delivery at destination and has paid a supplementary sum if the case so requires. In that case the carrier will be liable to pay a sum not exceeding the declared sum, unless he proves that that sum is greater than the consignor’s actual interest in delivery at destination.

(b) In the case of loss, damage or delay of part of the cargo, or of any object contained therein, the weight to be taken into consideration in determining the amount to which the carrier’s liability is limited shall be only the total weight of the package or packages concerned. Nevertheless, when the loss, damage or delay of a part of the cargo, or of an object contained therein, affects the value of other packages covered by the same air waybill, the total weight of such package or packages shall also be taken into consideration in determining the Emit of liability.

Section 1

Any provision tending to relieve the carrier of liabilty or to fix a lower limit than that which is laid down in this Convention shall be null and void, but the nullity of any such provision does not involve the nullity of the whole contract, which shall remain subject to the provisions of this Convention.

Section 1

If an action is brought against a servant or agent of the carrier arising out of damage to which the Convention relates, such servant or agent, if he proves that he acted within the scope of his employment, shall be entitled to avail himself of the limits of liability which that carrier himself is entitled to invoke under this Convention.

Section 1

Receipt by the person entitled to delivery of baggage or cargo without complaint is prima facie evidence that the same has been delivered in good condition and in accordance with the document of carriage.

Section 1

An action for damages must be brought, at the option of the plaintiff, in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, either before the court having jurisdiction where the carrier is ordinarily resident, or has his principal place of business, or has an establishment by which the contract has been made or before the court having jurisdiction at the place of destination.

Section 1

The right to damages shall be extinguished if an action is not brought two years, reckoned from the date of arrival at the destination, or from the date on which the aircraft ought to have arrived, or from the date on which the carriage stopped.

Section 1

In the case of carriage to be performed by various successive carriers and falling within the definition set out in the third paragraph of Article 1, each carrier who accepts passengers, baggage or cargo is subjected to the rules set out in this Convention, and is deemed to be one of the contracting parties to the contract of carriage in so far as the contract deals with that part of the carriage which is performed under his supervision.

Section 1

In the case of combined carriage performed partly by air and partly by any other mode of carriage, the provisions of this Convention apply only to the carriage by air, provided that the carriage by air falls within the terms of Article 1.

(2) Nothing in this Convention shall prevent the parties in the case of combined carriage from inserting in the document of air carriage conditions relating to other modes of carriage, provided that the provisions of this Convention are observed as regards the carriage by air.

Section 1

[This paragraph is not reproduced. It defines “High Contracting Party”.]

Section 1

La présente Convention s’applique à tout transport international de personnes, bagages ou marchandises, effectué par aéronef contre rémunération. Elle s’applique également aux transports gratuits effectués par aéronef par une entreprise de transports aériens.

Section 1

La Convention s’applique aux transports effectués par l’Etat ou les autres personnes juridiques de droit public, dans les conditions prévues à I’article ler.

Section 1

Dans le transport de passagers, un titre de transport individuel ou collectif doit être délivré, contenant :

(a) l’indication des points de départ et de destination

(b) si les points de départ et de destination sont situés sur le territoire d’une même Haute Partie Contractante et si une ou plusieurs escales sont prévues sur le territoire d’un autre Etat, I’indication d’une de ces escales.

Section 1

Dans le transport de bagages enregistrés, un bulletin de bagages doit être délivré qui, s’il nest pas combiné avec un titre de transport conforme aux dispositions de I’article 3, alinéa ler, ou n’est pas inclus dans un tel titre de transport, doit contenir :

(a) l’indication des points de départ et de destination;

(b) si les points de départ et de destination sont situés sur le territoire d’une même Haute Partie Contractante et si une ou plusieurs escales sont prévues sur le territoire d’un autre Etat, I’indication d’une de ces escales.

Section 1

Pour le transport de merchandises une lettre de transport aérien est émise.

Section 1

La lettre de transport aérien est établie par I’expéditeur en trois exemplaires originaux.

Section 1

L’expéditeur est responsable de l’exactitude des indications et déclarations concernant la marchandise inscrites par lui ou en son nom dans la lettre de transport aérien, ainsi que de celles fournies et faites par lui ou en son nom au transporteur en vue d’être insérées dans le récépissé de la marchandise ou pour insertion dans les données enregistrées par les autres moyens prévus à I’alinéa (2) de l’article 5.

Section 1

La lettre de transport aérien et le récépissé de la marchandise font foi, jusqu’à preuve contraire, de la conclusion du contrat, de la réception de la marchandise et des conditions du transport qui y figurent.

Section 1

L’expéditeur a le droit, sous la condition d’exécuter toutes les obligations résultant du contrat de transport, de disposer de la marchandise, soit en la retirant à l’aérodrome de départ ou de destination, soit en l’arrêtant en cours de route lors d’un atterrissage, soit en la faisant délivrer au lieu de destination ou en cours de route à une personne autre que le destinataire initialement désigné, soit en demandant son retour l’aérodrome de départ, pour autant que l’exercice de ce droit ne porte préjudice ni au transporteur, ni aux autres expéditeurs et avec l’obligation de rembourser les frais qui en résultent.

Section 1

Sauf lorsque l’expéditeur a exercé le droit qu’il tient de l’article 12, le destinataire a le droit, dès l’arrivée de la marchandise au point de destination, de demander au transporteur de lui livrer la marchandise contre le paiement du montant des créances et contre l’exécution des conditions de transport.

Section 1

Les articles 12, 13 et 14 ne portent aucun préjudice ni aux rapports de l’expéditeur et du destinataire entre eux, ni aux rapports des tiers dont les droits proviennent, soit de l’expéditeur, soit du destinataire.

Section 1

L’expéditeur est tenu de fournir les renseignements et les documents qui, avant la remise de la marchandise au destinataire, sont nécessaires à l’accomplissement des formalités de douane, d’octroi ou de police. L’expéditeur est responsable envers le transporteur de tous dommages qui pourraient résulter de l’absence, de l’insuffisance ou de l’irrégularité de ces renseignements et pièces, sauf le cas de faute de la part du transporteur ou de ses préposés.

Section 1

Le transporteur est responsable du préjudice survenu en cas de mort ou de toute lésion corporelle subie par un passager, par cela seul que le fait qui a causé la mort ou la lésion corporelle s’est produit à bord de l’aéronef ou au cours de toutes opérations d’embarquement ou de débarquement. Toutefois, le transporteur n’est pas responsable si la mort ou la lésion corporelle résulte uniquement de l’état de santé du passager.

Section 1

Le transporteur est responsable du dommage survenu en cas de destruction, perte ou avarie de la marchandise par cela seul que le fait qui a causé le dommage s’cest produit pendant le transport aérien.

Section 1

Dans le cas où il fait la preuve que la faute de la personne qui demande réparation a causé le dommage ou y a contribué, le transporteur est exonéré en tout ou en partie de sa responsabilité à l’égard de cette personne, dans la mesure où cette faute a causé le dommage ou y a contribué. Lorsqu’une demande en réparation est introduite par une personne autre que le passager, en raison de la mort ou d’une lésion corporelle subie par ce dernier, le transporteur est également exonéré en tout ou en partie de sa responsabilité dans la mesure où il prouve que la faute de ce passager a causé le dommage ou y a contribué.

Section 1

(a) Dans le transport de personnes, la responsabilité du transporteur est limitée à la somme de 100.000 Droits de Tirage spéciaux pour l’ensemble des demandes présentées, à quelque titre que ce soit, en réparation du dommage subi en conséquence de la mort ou de lésions corporelles d’un passager. Dans le cas où, d’après la loi du tribunal saisi, l’indemnité peut être fixée sous forme de rente, le capital de la rente ne peut dépasser 100.000 Droits de Tirage spéciaux.

(b) En cas de retard dans le transport de personnes, la responsabilité du transporteur est limitée à la somme de 4.150 Droits de Tirage spéciaux par passager.

(c) Dans le transport de bagages, la responsabilité du transporteur en cas de destruction, perte, avarie ou retard est limitée à la somme de 1.000 Droits de Tirage spéciaux par passager.

Section 1

(a) Dans le transport de marchandises, la responsabilité du transporteur est limitée à la somme de 17 Droits de Tirage spéciaux par kilogramme, sauf déclaration spéciale d’intérêt à la livraison faite par l’expéditeur au moment de la remise du colis au transporteur et moyennant le paiement d’une taxe supplémentaire éventuelle. Dans ce cas, le transporteur sera tenu de payer jusqu’à concurrence de la somme déclarée, à moins *u’il ne *rouve qu’elle est supérieure à l’intérêt réel de l’expéditeur à la livraison.

(b) En cas de perte, d’avarie ou de retard d’une partie des marchandises, ou de tout objet qui y est contenu, seul le poids total du ou des colis dont il s’agit est pris en considération pour déterminer la limite de responsabilité du transporteur. Toutefois, lorsque la perte, l’avarie ou le retard d’une partie des marchandises, ou d’un objet qui y est contenu, affecte la valeur d’autres colis couverts par la même lettre de transport aérien, le poids total de ces colis doit être pris en considération pour déterminer la limite de responsabilité.

Section 1

Toute clause tendant à exonérer le transporteur de sa responsabilité ou à établir une limite inférieure à celle qui est fixée dans la présente Convention est nulle et de nul effet, mais la nullité de cette clause n’entraîne pas la nullité du contrat qui reste soumis aux dispositions de la présente Convention.