The rights of passengers traveling by air and sea from, to, or within Georgia are protected by a comprehensive legal framework derived from national legislation and key international conventions. Our firm provides specialized legal counsel to both passengers and carriers, navigating the complexities of liability and ensuring all obligations are met. We offer expert guidance on claims related to travel disruptions, baggage issues, and, most critically, incidents involving personal injury or death. Our in-depth knowledge of the Georgian Air and Maritime Codes, alongside globally recognized treaties like the Montreal and Athens Conventions, ensures our clients receive the protection and compensation they are legally entitled to.
For air travel, passenger rights in Georgia are strongly defined through regulations adopted by the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA) which mirror the principles of EU Regulation EC 261/2004. These rules mandate that airlines provide care and financial compensation to passengers for denied boarding, flight cancellations, and long delays. Passengers may be entitled to financial compensation of up to six hundred euros, depending on flight distance, for cancellations or arrival delays of three hours or more, unless the disruption was caused by truly extraordinary circumstances. Carrier liability for personal injury, death, and baggage issues is governed by the Montreal Convention of 1999. This treaty establishes a two-tier liability system for personal injury and sets specific liability limits for lost, delayed, or damaged baggage, calculated in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).
In the maritime sector, the rights of passengers are similarly protected under the Maritime Code of Georgia, which incorporates principles from the Athens Convention. This legal framework holds the carrier liable for loss resulting from the death of or personal injury to a passenger if the incident was due to the fault or neglect of the carrier or its servants. Recent legal amendments have strengthened these protections, requiring carriers to make advance payments to cover the immediate economic needs of victims in the event of a passenger's death or injury. Our firm provides robust legal support for passengers filing claims for injuries sustained on board, as well as for loss of or damage to their luggage, ensuring that sea carriers adhere to their legal duty of care and provide fair compensation.
Navigating the claims process can be challenging, requiring adherence to strict deadlines for notification and legal action. Our firm manages the entire lifecycle of a passenger claim, from the initial formal complaint lodged with the carrier to the negotiation of a settlement or, if necessary, the pursuit of litigation in Georgian courts. We ensure that all claims are properly substantiated with evidence and are presented in a manner that maximizes the potential for a successful and timely resolution, whether the dispute is with an airline or a maritime passenger carrier.
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