國際航空法幾個重要理論與實務問題辨析──基於馬航MH370航班事故的討論

Analysis of Several Important Theoretical and Practical Issues in International Aviation Law–Discussion Based on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Accident

馬航MH370航班的失蹤引發諸多國際航空法問題的討論和爭論，這些問題的解決對以後類似的國際航空運輸事故的處理具有重要的指導意義和參考價值。馬來西亞航空公司和馬來西亞政府對於該航班的有關表述或聲明是建立在國際航空法的基礎之上。失聯、失蹤、失事的確切含義，必須結合國際航空法的規定來解讀。國際航空法對於航空器的搜尋期限雖無統一的規定，但以援救倖存者為最高目的。航空搜尋實踐表明，航空器的搜尋期限不盡相同，一旦搜尋目的無法實現，即可停止搜尋。航空器失蹤後通常由航空器登記國政府推定機上乘客死亡。對於始發地點和目的地點分別為吉隆坡和北京的乘客而言，其運輸是《蒙特利爾公約》所規定的國際航空運輸，中國法院具有管轄權。《蒙特利爾公約》並沒有規定一個具體的賠償數額，或者是規定賠償的上限，認為承運人的責任以128,821特別提款權為限的觀點是對公約的誤讀，無限額責任制度是公約的核心所在。正確理解《蒙特利爾公約》的規定，不僅對於承運人和索賠人雙方都至關重要，對於受理案件的法院同樣重要，因為它關涉法院能否正確適用國際條約並做出公正的裁決。

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has triggered many issues on international aviation law, and the solution of these issues has important guiding significance and reference value for the similar international air transport accidents in the future. The representations or statements made by Malaysia Airlines and the Government of Malaysia in respect of the flight are based on international aviation law. The exact meaning of losing contact, disappearance and accident must be interpreted in the light of the provisions of international aviation law. Although there is no uniform provision for the search period of aircraft in international aviation law, the highest purpose is to rescue survivors. Aircraft search practice shows that the search period of aircraft is uncertain, once the search purpose can not be achieved, the search can be stopped. In the case of the missing aircraft, it is usually assumed the death of the passenger by the government of a state in which the aircraft is registered. For passengers whose places of departure and destination are Kuala Lumpur and Beijing respectively, the carriage is international air carriage as defined in the Montreal Convention, and the courts of China have jurisdiction. The Montreal Convention did not set a specific amount of compensation, or the compensation of the cap, the point of view that the carrier’s liability is limited to 128821 Special Drawing Rights (SDRS) is a misreading of the Convention, unlimited liability system is the core of the Convention. It is critical to understand the Montreal Convention correctly not only to carriers and claimants, but also to the court in which the case is brought, because it is related to whether the court can correctly apply the law and make a fair decision.