| This contract you received and which you may | | | | and enforce regulations governing the |
| not have even known you entered, has many | | | | responsibilities of airlines and the rights of |
| terms and conditions governing your flight that | | | | passengers. While this act pre-empts most state |
| are often hidden in convoluted legal language. On | | | | laws that attempt to regulate airlines, some state |
| the back of the typical ticket are fine-print | | | | statutes and common-law contract rules may still |
| paragraphs called "Conditions of Carriage". Included | | | | apply. |
| with these paragraphs is a statement that the | | | | On international flights, your rights will largely fall |
| airline has filed additional policies with the U.S. | | | | under an international agreement called the |
| Department of Transportation (DOT) about its | | | | Warsaw Convention. Almost all of the world's |
| liability limits and its promised services for | | | | nations that have functional airports now abide by |
| passengers. Federal law mandates that any | | | | the terms of this treaty. Like the Federal Aviation |
| person who sells airline tickets - including airline | | | | Act, it lists an airline's liability for any losses you |
| employees at the airport or at an airline call | | | | may incur because your flight was delayed or |
| center, as well as travel agents, travel websites | | | | your baggage was lost, delayed or damaged while |
| and other retailers - must make a copy of the | | | | you are engaged in international travel. If your |
| entire contract of carriage, including the | | | | ticket shows that you will be flying between |
| aforementioned statements filed with the DOT, | | | | countries that have adopted the Warsaw |
| available to you upon request. | | | | Convention or if, on the way to your final |
| The contract of carriage is the basic document | | | | destination, you will stop over in a country that |
| which governs the relationship between the airline | | | | has adopted it, you meet this qualification. |
| and you, covering everything from boarding | | | | An odd twist of the Warsaw Convention is that it |
| requirements and baggage limits to the | | | | applies, based on the way the ticket was issued, |
| compensation you are due if your flight is delayed. | | | | not on the actual flights. For example, if you |
| As mentioned before, the contract is usually | | | | booked a flight from Las Vegas to Tokyo and |
| written in very fine print and stilted toward the | | | | the flight crashes in California, you will be covered |
| legally educated, but it is important. Read it. Each | | | | by the Warsaw Convention because it was your |
| airline will have its own independent contract of | | | | intent to fly internationally between the USA and |
| carriage and while many use similar language, | | | | Japan (both nations participate in this treaty). |
| there will always be important differences also. | | | | However, if your flight from New York to Oregon |
| You must always read the actual contract | | | | veers off course and crashes in Canada, the |
| provided by the carrier before you file any | | | | airline would not be bound by the Warsaw |
| complaints about your flight. | | | | Convention. |
| A piece of U.S. legislature called the Federal | | | | Remember that the ticket you buy is in fact a |
| Aviation Act protects your rights on domestic | | | | legal contract and you are entering it willingly by |
| flights. This act gives the DOT authority to create | | | | purchasing it. |