Airline operatords might bear civil responsibility for damages inflicted to passengers, luggage in Moldova

Chisinau, 1 November /MOLDPRES/ - Airline operators might be obliged, under law, to introduce requirements of minimum insurance for damages caused to passengers, luggage, goods and parcel-post packages. The parliament adopted a draft law to this effect in the first reading today.    

According to the document, the national legislation will establish the regime of civil responsibility of airline operators from Moldova for damages inflicted to passengers, luggage, goods, parcel-post packages and third sides, as well as the minimum limit of sums insured for covering the civil liability.

Thus, the law suggests that the quantum of minimum insurance for the civil liability before passengers, in case of death or bodily harm be of 250,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per one passenger (one SDR is presently worth about 23.73 lei). The quantum of minimum insurance for civil liability before passengers, in case of damages triggered by a delay in the carriage of people, is of 4,694 SDR per one passenger. As much as 1,131 SDR per one passenger will be paid for the civil liability for luggage. The minimum sum for goods is of 19 SDR per one kilogram.    

At the same time, in case of air accidents, in the wake of which passengers died or were injured, the airline operator will pay compensations to families.  

The Civil Aviation Authority will suspend the certificate of airline operator or the flight permission for the infringement of minimum requirements of insurance. The new stipulations will be enforced for all airline operators from Moldova. The requirements will be not applied to the state airships for military, customs or police services, to motor paraplanes and gliders.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)