There will be increased compensation for Fijians who maybe victims of international airline accidents after parliament approved the government’s motion that Fiji accedes to the Montreal Convention 1999 dealing with international carriage by air.
While moving the motion, Prime Minister and Acting Foreign Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama said the Montreal Convention provides rights and benefits that have not existed under the existing aviation laws that Fiji is currently bound by under the Warsaw Convention.
The change mainly deals with levels of compensation for the air travellers.
Bainimarama said it offers much better compensation for victims of international airline accidents.
Under the Warsaw Convention, the maximum compensation for victims is $48,000.
He said this is grossly unfair in this day and age.
With the change, Bainimarama said the maximum liability claim will increase to around $320,000.
The Montreal Convention also allows for further claims to be made in the court of law and the onus will no longer be for the passenger to prove that the airline was negligent.
The onus will be on the airline to prove that it was not negligent or that a third party caused the accident.
Bainimarama said provisions are also made to increase compensation for the loss or delay of baggage.
