Report on the European Air Law Association 9th Munich Liability Seminar: Liability, Insurance and Reinsurance, Passenger Rights and Procurement of Legal Services in the Air Transport and Aircraft Fina

Abstract

The 9th edition of the European Air Law Association (EALA) Munich Liability Seminar took place on the 19 May 2014. There were panels addressing current issues in private air law: passenger rights and the proposed revision of Regulation 261/2004; criminalization of aviation accidents and accident reporting; assessment of the Montreal Protocol 2014, amending the Tokyo Convention 1963, including the problem on unruly passengers. The seminar also included a presentation of reinsurance in the aviation sector from Munich Re. The seminar touched on space law with a panel consisting of two presentations on the topic of liability for damage caused by sub-orbital spacecraft. The seminar concluded with an in-house counsel panel of current trends in the procurement of legal services. On 19 May 2014 the Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich once again played home to the European Air Law Association (EALA) Munich Liability Seminar, this time back for its 9th edition. The seminar itself was preceded the previous night by a visit to the BMW Museum, which included a private tour of the exhibition. The following morning, the President of EALA, Prof. Dr P.M.J. Mendes de Leon, gave his welcoming address to the delegates, noting the international appeal of the seminar's programme, evidenced by the attendance of so many delegates from the United States. Dr Ehlers, reiterating the warm welcome to the delegates gave the floor to Dimitri de Bournonville, Partner at Kennedys Law Firm in Brussels, and moderator of the day's first panel.