Warsaw Convention

In force from February 13, 1933, the convention required an air consignment note for cargo and presumed carrier liability for loss, damage or delay, subject to a defense that all necessary measures were taken. Cargo liability was limited to 250 gold francs per kilogram, later expressed as 17 SDR per kilogram under Montreal Additional Protocol No. 4. Limits could be broken for wilful misconduct. Amended by the 1955 Hague Protocol, it still applies on routes involving states that have not joined the Montreal Convention.

Warsaw is mostly historical for e-commerce shippers, but it still governs some air cargo routes and established the air waybill. The Montreal Convention replaced it among most trading nations, though shipments to or from a few states outside Montreal can still fall under Warsaw limits. For example, a forwarder routing air cargo to a country that has not joined the Montreal Convention should check which treaty applies, because limits, defenses and time bars differ. The air waybill used by every airline today descends from Warsaw's consignment note.

• Freight ClaimDemand to a carrier for lost or damaged freight
• Shipping InsuranceCoverage for lost or damaged packages

• First Air Cargo Flight1910 · A Wright plane flies silk from Dayton to Columbus

• Montreal Convention1999, in force 2003 · Treaty on airline liability for cargo and passengers
• Chicago Convention1944, in force 1947 · Founding treaty of ICAO and international aviation
• Air Cargo Deregulation Act of 19771977 · Freed US domestic air cargo routes and rates

1. Warsaw Convention, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org