Aviation safety: legal obligations of states and practice

Abstract

This article provides a brief introduction to the issue of aviation safety and security with emphasis on the practice of airlines to fly over warzones, the change of understanding of the aviation safety after the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, and obligations of contracting States under the Chicago Convention (Article 3 bis, the ‘absolute’ ban on the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight in times of peace, and Article 83 bis states the framework in times of war). It deals with the definitions aviation safety and security, which a brief historical summary, and elaborates on the practice of airlines to fly over warzones.