Air Law
Introduction

The spectacular fast developments in aircraft technology in the beginning of the 20th century, made law-making necessary in this new field of transportation, in peace and in war. In 1910 the first conference on an international air law code took place in Paris. International air law now deals with many topics, such transport responsibility, safety of passengers, airplanes and luggage, airport-regulations, hijacking, air pollution, and aerial warfare. The collection of international air law in the Peace Palace Library covers all the aspects of this (public and private) international law subject, including the historical part, the sources of international air law, the international organizations involved and the numerous international conventions: Chicago Convention 1944, Warsaw Convention 1929, and the Montreal Convention 1999.
This Research Guide is intended as a starting point for research on Air and Space Law. It provides the basic legal materials available in the Peace Palace Library, both in print and electronic format. Handbooks, leading articles, bibliographies, periodicals, serial publications and documents of interest are presented in the Selective Bibliography section. Links to the PPL Catalogue are inserted. The Library's systematic classification → Public international law and subject heading (keyword) Air Law are instrumental for searching through the Catalogue. Special attention is given to our subscriptions on databases, e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources. Finally, this Research Guide features links to relevant websites and other online resources of particular interest.
Bibliography
Reference works
- Dempsey, P.D., Public International Air Law, Montreal, McGill University , 2017.
- Diederiks-Verschoor, I.H.P., An Introduction to Air Law, Alphen aan de Rijn, Kluwer Law International, 2012.
- Dupont, P.M., Manuel de droit aérien: souveraineté et libertés dans la troisième dimension, Paris, Editions Pedone, 2015.
- Havel, B.F., G.S.Sanchez, The Principles and Practice of International Aviation Law, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
- Hobe, S. (Hrsg.), Kölner Kompendium des Luftrechts, Köln: Heymanns Verlag, 2009-2015.
- Milde, M., International Air Law and ICAO, The Hague, Eleven international publishing, 2016.
Relevant books
- Abeyratne, R., Megatrends and Air Transport: Legal, Ethical and Economic Issues, Cham, Springer, 2017. [e-book]
- Abeyratne, R., Rulemaking in Air Transport: a Deconstructive Analysis, Cham, Springer, 2016. [e-book]
- Bobek, M. and J. Prassl (eds.), Air Passenger Rights: Ten Years On, Oxford and Portland, Oregon, Hart Publishing, 2016.
- Cachard, O., Le transport international aérien de passagers, Académie de droit international de La Haye, Recueil des cours, 2015, pp. 9-216.
- Cheng, Ch.-J., (ed.), Studies in international air law: selected works of Bin Cheng, Leiden, Boston, Brill Nijhoff, 2018.
- Dupont, P.M., Manuel de droit aérien: souveraineté et libertés dans la troisième dimension, Paris, Editions A. Pedone, 2015.
- Havel, B,S., G.S.Sanchez, The Priniciples and Practice of International Aviation Law, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
- Largey, T., Le statut juridique de l'air: fondements pour une théorie de l'air en tant que chose commune, en droit suisse et international, Berne, Stämpfli Éditions, 2017.]
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Lee, J.W., Regional Liberalization in International Air Transport: towards Northeast Asian Open Skies, The Hague, Eleven international publishing, 2016.
- Mendes de Leon, P., Introduction to air law, Alphen aan den Rijn, Wolters Kluwer, 2017.
- Oduntan, G., Sovereignty and Jurisdiction in the Airspace and Outer Space: Legal Criteria for Spatial Delimitation, London, Routledge, 2012.
Leading articles
- Almond, R., Clearing the Air above the East China Sea: The Primary Elements of Aircraft Defense Identification Zones, Harvard National Security Journal, 7 (2015), No. 1, pp. 126-198.
- Knittlmayer, N., Völkerrechtliche Pflicht zur Sperrung des Luftraums über "Konfliktzonen"? Erörterung am Beispiel des Abschusses von Flug MH17, Zeitschrift fur Luft- und Weltraumrecht, 65 (2016), No. 1, pp. 44-66.
- Monks, S.., "Flight MH370: International Law and How We Use It", Australian International Law Journal, 21 (2014), pp. 101-124.
Documents
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Shawcross and Beaumont: Air Law (4th ed.); with a chapter on the law of aviation insurance by R.D. Margo, London : Butterworth 4 Volumes + Looseleafs
Periodicals, serial publications
- Air & Space Law
- Air & Space Law (Online)
- Annals of Air and Space Law
- Essential Air and Space Law
- Forum for Air and Space Law
- Journal of Air Law and Commerce
- Korean Journal of Air and Space Law
- Revue française de droit aérien et spatial
- Schriften zum Luft- und Weltraumrecht
- Utrecht Studies in Air and Space Law
- Yearbook of Air and Space Law
- Zeitschrift für Luft- und Weltraumrecht
Bibliographies
- Heere, W.P., "Bibliography of Air Law 2016", Air & space law, 42 (2017), No. 6, pp. 639-659.
- Heere, W.P., "Bibliography of Air Law 2015", Air & Space Law, 41 (2016), No. 4-5, pp. 397-415.
New titles
Librarian's choice
Szyliowicz, J.S. and Zamparini, L. (eds.), Air transport security: issues, challenges and national policies, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018.
View this title in our discovery serviceThe growing number of terrorist attacks throughout the world continues to turn the interest of scholars and governments towards security issues. As part of the Comparative Perspectives on Transportation Security series, this book provides a multidisciplinary analysis of the security challenges confronting air transportation. The first part encompasses the industry’s characteristics and the policy, economic and regulatory issues shaping the security environment. The second provides a comparative analysis of security policies and practices in several key countries.
De Mestral, A., Fitzgerald, P.P.and Ahmad, M.T. (eds.), Sustainable Development, International Aviation and Treaty Implementation, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2018.
View this title in our discovery serviceIn 1944 the Chicago Convention set out the foundations of public international law regulating international air transport, but until 2016 no international agreement existed to limit its environmental impact. Sustainable Development, International Aviation, and Treaty Implementation explains why the CORSIA scheme adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2016, should be implemented in 2020 even though the adequacy of this scheme is still open to doubt and criticism. This book seeks to examine the many dimensions of the effort to contain greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft in a manner consonant with the principles of sustainable development, and examines the development of international law and policy in an area that has remained largely outside the general framework of international environmental law. International civil aviation is a significant polluter of the atmosphere, and in this volume, a group of air law and sustainable development law specialists considers how the international community can respond.
Mendes de Leon, P., Introduction to air law, Alphen aan de Rijn, Kluwer Law International, 2017.
View this title in our discovery serviceIntroduction to Air Law provides a comprehensive overview of the major components of this specialised field of international law. The world of aviation has moved on rapidly since the appearance of the ninth edition of this pre-eminent resource five years ago. Special attention has been paid in this edition to regional integration movements, especially in Europe, affecting the mentioned subjects. The book’s extensive references to other sources in the field have been expanded and updated by the author and experts in specialised areas.
Dempsey, P.S. and Jakhu, R.S. (eds.), Routledge handbook of public aviation law, London, New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.
View this title in our discovery serviceThe Routledge Handbook of Public Aviation Law is the first book to incorporate a comprehensive analysis of Public Aviation Law – principally international, but also domestic law in a comparative context – in a single volume. International Law is pervasive in Aviation Law, and is incorporated into a number of major multilateral treaties (e.g., the Chicago Convention of 1944, for Public International Air Law). This book will be of great relevance to scholars, researchers, lawyers, and policy makers with an interest in aviation law.
Database
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, Air Law and Law on Outer Space
- Oxford LibGuide International Law: Air & Space
Blogs
Flight MH17 and Legal Remedies
On 17 July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crashed in Donetsk Oblast, Eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board MH17, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, died. It claimed the lives of 193 Dutch nationals, 43 from Malaysia, and 27 from Australia. Other victims came from a variety of countries including Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and the Philippines. From the start, both the investigation into the cause of the crash and the criminal investigation into the downing of Flight MH17 were severely challenged due to the ongoing armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists, supported by the Russian Federation, and the Ukrainian government.
Read more
Links
- Forum on Air and Space Law, American Bar Association
- Institut für Österreichisches und Internationales Luftfahrtrecht
- Institut für Luft- und Weltraumrecht, Universität zu Köln
- Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University
- International Aviation Law Institute, DePaul University
- International Civil Aviation Organization
- International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University
- Jaxa legal database
See also
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