Milde’s International Air Law and ICAO

About the Fourth Edition, as Revised by Attila Sipos ix
Author’s Reminiscences by Michael Milde (1931-2018) xi

1 Air Law – Concept and Definitions 1

2 Historical Evolution of Air Law 5
2.1 Paris Conference 1910 8
2.2 Paris Convention 1919 11
2.3 The Madrid Convention 1926 13
2.4 The Havana Convention 1928 14
2.5 The Chicago Conference 1944 15

3 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944) 19
3.1 Depositary 20
3.2 Authentic Texts of the Convention 21
3.3 Amendment of the Convention 24
3.4 Parties to the Convention 32
3.5 Expulsion of a State Party 33

4 International Legal Regime of the Airspace 35
4.1 Territory 37
4.2 Airspace over the Sea 39
4.2.1 High Seas 40
4.2.2 Contiguous Zone 41
4.2.3 Straits Used for International Navigation 41
4.2.4 Archipelagic Waters 42
4.2.5 Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 42
4.2.6 Continental Shelf 44
4.3 Polar Regions 44
4.4 Specific Rights of States in the Sovereign Airspace 45
4.5 International Duties of States in Their Airspace 50
4.6 Protection of the Sovereign Airspace 53
4.7 Justifiable Use of Force against Civil Aircraft? 62

5 International Legal Regime of Aircraft and Its Operation 65
5.1 Civil Aircraft and State Aircraft 66
5.1.1 Evolution of the Legal Regime for Civil and State Aircraft 68
5.1.2 Chicago Convention on Civil and State Aircraft 69
5.1.3 Other International Instruments Relating to Civil and State Aircraft 71
5.1.4 Applicability of ICAO Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures 73
5.1.5 “Definition” of Civil and State Aircraft 76
5.1.6 De Lege Ferenda … 81
5.2 Nationality and Registration of Aircraft 83
5.3 Joint and International Registration of Aircraft 86
5.4 Functions of the State of Registry 88
5.5 Transfer of Functions and Duties from the State of Registry to the State of the Operator 93
5.6 “Nationality” of an Airline and “Substantive Ownership…” Clause 96
5.7 Aircraft Accident Investigation 100
5.8 Aircraft in Distress 107
5.9 Documents Carried in Aircraft 109

6 Legal Regime of International Air Transport 111
6.1 General 111
6.2 Non-Scheduled International Flight 113
6.3 Scheduled International Air Service 115
6.3.1 International Air Services Transit Agreement 115
6.3.2 International Air Transport Agreement 117
6.4 Bilateral Agreements on Air Services 119
6.5 Code-Sharing of Air Services 127
6.6 Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) 127
6.7 Air Transport as “Trade in Services”? 129

7 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 133
7.1 History 133
7.2 PICAO 134
7.3 ICAO 136
7.3.1 Aims and Objectives 136
7.3.2 Permanent Seat 138
7.3.3 Legal Status of ICAO 139
7.3.4 Specialized Agency of the UN System 141
7.3.5 Organs of ICAO 144
7.3.5.1 ICAO Assembly 145
7.3.5.2 ICAO Council 156
7.3.5.3 ICAO Secretariat 190
7.3.5.4 ICAO Legal Committee 196
7.3.5.5 Settlement of Differences in ICAO 204
7.4 Does the Chicago Convention Require Modernization? 217

8 Legal Management of Aviation Security 231
8.1 Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft 231
8.2 Tokyo Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft 1963 235
8.3 The Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft 1970 244
8.3.1 Definition of the “Offence” 246
8.3.2 Jurisdiction of Courts and Extradition of Offenders 249
8.4 Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation 1971 253
8.5 Montreal Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation 1988, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation 1971 262
8.6 Montreal Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection 1991 265
8.7 Annex 17 – Security 270
8.8 Unruly/Disruptive Passengers 275
8.8.1 Montreal Protocol to Amend the Tokyo Convention 1963 278
8.9 MANPADS 280
8.10 “Bonn Declaration” 1981 282
8.11 Other Acts or Offences of Concern Addressed after “911” 284

9 International Unification of Private Air Law through ICAO 291
9.1 Geneva Convention on the International Recognition of Rights in Aircraft 1948 292
9.1.1 Background 292
9.1.2 Outline of the Convention 294
9.2 “Warsaw System” and the Montreal Convention 1999 297
9.2.1 Background of the Warsaw Convention 1929 297
9.2.2 Basic Elements of the Warsaw Convention 298
9.2.2.1 The Format and Legal Significance of the Documents of Carriage (Passenger Ticket, Baggage Check, Air Waybill) 298
9.2.2.2 Regime of Liability 299
9.2.2.3 Limitation of Liability 300
9.2.2.4 Jurisdiction of Courts 301
9.2.3 Steps in the Amendment of the Warsaw Convention 302
9.2.3.1 The Hague Protocol 1955 302
9.2.3.2 Guadalajara Convention 1961 304
9.2.3.3 Montreal Agreement 1966 306
9.2.3.4 Guatemala City Protocol 1971 307
9.2.3.5 Additional Protocols of Montreal Nos. 1-3 and Montreal Protocol No. 4 1975 309
9.2.3.6 Japanese Initiative 1992 311
9.3 Montreal Convention 1999 313
9.4 Rome Convention on Damage Caused by Foreign Aircraft to Third Parties on the Surface 1952 316
9.4.1 After “9/11” 321
9.5 Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment 2001 326

Appendices 333
Appendix 1 Convention on International Civil Aviation, Chicago 1944 333
Appendix 2 Standing Rules of Procedure for the Assembly of ICAO 370
Appendix 3 Rules of Procedure for the ICAO Council 393
Appendix 4 Rules for the Settlement of Differences 443
Appendix 5 List of the Nationality Marks of Aircraft 455
Appendix 6 ICAO Illustration of the “Freedoms of the Air” 460

Bibliography of Documents 461
1 General Public Law Treaties 461
2 ICAO Public and Private Air Law Treaties 461
3 Internet Links 464
4 General Bibliography of Air Law 465

Index 467