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: the Warsaw Convention 1929, the Montreal Convention 1999 and the Chicago Convention 1944 (one of the most ratified multilateral agreements currently in force, with 193 States Parties).
This Research Guide is intended as a starting point for research in the field of International Air Law. It provides the basic 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 subject heading (keyword) Air Law is 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.
Sources of International Law
Treaties
- Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules relating to International Carriage by Air (Warsaw, 12 November 1929)
- Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 7 December 1944)
- Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation (Montreal, 23 September 1971)
- Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (Montreal, 28 may 1999)
Collections and commentaries of treaties of international air law
- Goldhirsch, L.B., The Warsaw Convention annotated: a legal Handbook, The Hague, Kluwer Law International, 2000.
- Kaar, D. van het, International Civil Aviation: Treaties, Institutions and Programmes, The Hague, Eleven International Publishing, 2019.
- Reuschle, F., Montrealer Übereinkommen: Übereinkommen zur Vereinheitlichung bestimmter Vorschriften über die Beförderung im internationalen Luftverkehr: Kommentar, Berlin, De Gruyter, 2011.
Case-law
- Harakas, A.J., (ed.), Litigating the Aviation Case: from Pre-trial to Closing Argument, Fourth edition, Chicago, Illinois, American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section, 2017.
- Larsen, P.B., Sweeney, J.C. and Gillick, J.E., Aviation Law: Cases, Laws and Related Sources, Leiden, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2012. [e-book]
- Zhang, L., The Resolution of Inter-state Disputes in Civil Aviation, New York, Oxford University Press, 2022.
Reference works
- Dempsey, P.D., Public International Air Law, Second edition, Montreal, McGill University, 2017.
- Dempsey, P.S., Routledge Handbook of Public Aviation Law, London, Routledge 2017.
- Dupont, P.M., Manuel de droit aérien: souveraineté et libertés dans la troisième dimension, Paris, Editions Pedone, 2015.
- Groenewege, A.D., Compendium of International Civil Aviation, Second edition, Montreal, International Aviation Development Corporation, 1998/1999.
- Havel, B.F. and G.S. Sanchez, The Principles and Practice of International Aviation Law, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2014.
- Hobe, S. (Hrsg.), Kölner Kompendium des Luftrechts, Köln, Heymanns Verlag, 2009-2015.
- Humphreys, B., The Regulation of Air Transport: From Protection to Liberalisation, and Back Again, Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
- Masutti, A. and P. Mendes de Leon (eds.), Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Aviation Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2023.
- Mendes de Leon, P.M.J. and Buissing, N. (eds.), Behind and beyond the Chicago Convention: the Evolution of Aerial Sovereignty, Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands : Kluwer Law International, 2019.
- Mendes de Leon, P.M.J., Introduction to Air Law, Tenth edition, Alphen aan den Rijn, Wolters Kluwer, 2017.
- Milde, M., International Air Law and ICAO, Third edition, The Hague, Eleven International Publishing, 2016.
- Ravich, Timothy M., Introduction to Aviation Law, Saint Paul, MN, West Academic Publishing, 2020.
- Schwenk, W., E. Giemulla und H. van Schyndel, Handbuch des Luftverkehrsrechts, Fünfte Auflage, Köln, Carl Heymanns Verlag, 2019.
- Scott, B.I. and A. Trimarchi, Fundamentals of International Aviation Law and Policy, Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge, 2020.
- Weber, L.J., International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Second edition, Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands, Kluwer Law International, 2015.
Selected books and articles
- Abeyratne, R., Aviation in the Digital Age: Legal and Regulatory Aspects, Cham, Springer, 2020.
- Abeyratne, R., Legal Priorities in Air Transport, Cham, Springer, 2019.
- Bartsch, R.I.C., International Aviation Law: A Practical Guide, Second Edition, Abingdon; New York, Routledge, 2018.
- Bergamasco, F. [et al.], Cybersecurity: Key Legal Considerations for the Aviation and Space Sector, Alphen aan den Rijn, Kluwer Law International, 2020.
- Bobek, M. and J. Prassl (eds.), Air Passenger Rights: Ten Years On, Oxford; Portland, Hart Publishing, 2016.
- Cheng, Ch.-J., (ed.), Studies in International Air Law: Selected Works of Bin Cheng, Leiden; Boston, Brill Nijhoff, 2018.
- Cluxton, D., Aviation Law Cause of Action Exclusivity in the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions, Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022.
- Diederiks-Verschoor, I.H.P., An Introduction to Air Law, Alphen aan de Rijn, Kluwer Law International, 2012.
- Fiallos Pazmiño, L.F., The International Civil Operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems under Air Law, Alphen aan den Rijn, Kluwer Law International, 2020.
- Flaquer Riutort, J., El concepto de circunstancias extraordinarias en el transporte aéreo de pasajeros y su interpretación en el marco del Reglamento (CE) nº 261/2004, Cizur Menor, Aranzadi, 2021.
- Gangale, T., How High the Sky? The Definition and Delimitation of Outer Space and Territorial Airspace in International Law, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2018.
- Hanley, D.P., Aircraft Operating Leasing: A Legal and Practical Analysis in the Context of Public and Private International Air Law, Alphen aan den Rijn, Kluwer, 2017.
- Hatri, F., Droit du contentieux international aérien, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2021.
- Hettiarachchi, L., International Air Transport Association (IATA): Structure and Legitimacy of its Quasi International Regulatory Power, The Hague, Eleven International Publishing, 2020.
- Jozi, M., Die Pflicht zur Sperrung des Luftraums über Konfliktzonen: Eine Untersuchung der souveränen Verantwortlichkeit anlässlich des Abschusses von Flug MH17 über der Ostukraine, 1. Auflage / Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2023.
- Kaar, D. van het, The Aircraft Commander in International Air Transportation: Legal Powers, Duties and Decision Making, The Hague, Eleven, 2024.
- Kyriakopoulos, G.D., La sécurité de l'aviation civile en droit international public, Athènes, Sakkoulas, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 1999.
- 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.
- Lee, J.W. (ed.), Aviation Law and Policy in Asia: Smart Regulation in Liberalized Markets, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2021.
- Mestral, A. de, Fitzgerald, P. and Tanveer, A.M. (eds.), Sustainable Development, International Aviation, and Treaty Implementation, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2018.
- Nkum, K.J., Droit aérien international, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, Éditions universitaires européennes, 2020.
- Salih, C., International Aviation Law for Aerodrome Planning, Cham, Springer, 2021.
- Schubert, F., Le droit aérien, Genève, Schulthess, Éditions Romandes, 2017.
- Stevens, H., The Life and Death of a Treaty: Bermuda 2. Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Air Services, Cham, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
- Stewart, M.E., Freedom of Overflight: a Study of Coastal State Jurisdiction in International Airspace, Alphen aan den Rijn, Kluwer Law International BV, 2021.
- Ozgur, N., Global Governance of Civil Aviation Safety, London, New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
- Wagué, H.G., Droit aérien africain, Paris, Pédone, 2019.
- Walulik, J. (ed.), Harmonising Regulatory and Antitrust Regimes for International Air Transport, Abingdon, Routledge, 2019.
- Zhang, L., The Resolution of Inter-state Disputes in Civil Aviation, New York, Oxford University Press, 2022.
For all peer-reviewed articles in the PPL Catalogue, click here.
Periodicals, serial publications
- Air & Space Law
- Annals of Air and Space Law
- Aviation / Aerospace Law and Policy Series
- Essential Air and Space Law
- Forum for Air and Space Law
- Journal of Air Law and Commerce
- Revue française de droit aérien et spatial
- Schriften zum Luft- und Weltraumrecht
- Shawcross and Beaumont: Air Law
- Utrecht Studies in Air and Space Law
- Zeitschrift fur Luft- und Weltraumrecht
Bibliographies
- HeinOnline Air and Space Law
- HeinOnline LibGuide Air and Space Law
- Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law [PPL Info]
[PPL access] Air law and law of outer space (subject) [Entries: 39]
- Oxford LibGuides Air & Space Law (Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford)
- Oxford Reports on International Law
[PPL access] Air law and law on outer space (subject) [Entries: 44].
- Répertoire de droit international: Navigation aérienne – Jacqueline DUTHEIL DE LA ROCHÈRE; Loïc GRARD – Décembre 1998 (actualisation: Novembre 2018)
- Répertoire de droit international: Transports aériens – Jean-Pierre TOSI – Février 2008 (actualisation: Janvier 2021)
- Forum on Air and Space Law, American Bar Association
- Hague Court of Arbitration for Aviation
- Institut für Luftrecht, Weltraumrecht und Cyberrecht, Universität zu Köln
- Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University
- Institute of Aviation, Warsaw
- International Air Transport Association
- International Aviation Law Institute, DePaul University
- International Civil Aviation Organization
- International Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University
- McGill Institute of Air & Space Law, Faculty of Law