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Newsbrief
Cargo Liability
Limits Standardized
Major
Step Forward to Simplify Air Cargo
Geneva – The International Air Transport Association
(IATA) announced the standardization of cargo liability limits. With
regulatory approval and with effect from 1 July 2010, the Air Waybill
(AWB) Conditions of Contract (IATA Resolution 600b) have been changed to
harmonize the application of the Montreal Convention liability limit for
all air cargo across all routes.
This simplified approach improves efficiency for shippers and
forwarders. It is also consistent with industry efforts to improve
competitiveness by simplifying global processes with projects including
IATA e-freight.
The amendment to Resolution 600b standardizes the
application of the 19 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per kilogram Montreal
Convention liability limit to all routes worldwide. The following
advantages derive from the change:
- Increased
certainty for claims handling and service determination
- Increased
accuracy for claims procedures by standardizing the various regimes
- The single
global standard eliminates the uncertainty that existed where there
was no applicable convention, or where existing conventions were
out-of-date or required conversions from non-existing currencies,
such as French gold francs.
The acceptance by airlines of the Montreal Convention liability limit
standard on all routes is a step forward for the air cargo
industry.
- IATA -
For more information, please contact:
Albert Tjoeng
Assistant Director
Corporate Communications
Asia Pacific
Tel: +65 64992286
Email: tjoenga@iata.org
Notes for Editors:
- IATA
(International Air Transport Association) represents some 230
airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic
- Prior to the
new Resolution 600b, the liability limits depended on the applicable
regime, such as:
- 250 French gold francs per kilogram under the Warsaw Convention
(unamended)
- 17 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per kilogram under the Warsaw
Convention amended by Montreal Protocol No. 4
- 19 SDRs per kilogram under the Montreal Convention 1999
- 19 SDRs per kilogram for all carriage to or from the United States
- The
Montreal Convention provides a secure legal foundation for IATA's
e-freight initiative and supports the move towards the
implementation of the electronic Air Waybill (e-AWB).
- IATA will
continue to engage governments for the rapid adoption of the
Montreal Convention. This will pave the way for the expedited
implementation of e-freight globally.
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