Air companies could be obliged to introduce minimum requirements for compensating for damage caused to passengers, baggage, goods and parcels. This is specified in a bill that was given a first reading by the legislative body. The draft law also sets the lowest limit of civil liability insurance, IPN reports.

Under the bill, the minimum aircraft accident liability coverage for passengers in case of death or bodily injury will be 250,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger. A SDR is now about 23.73 lei.

The minimum liability coverage for passengers in case of damage deriving from delays in passenger transportation will be 4,694 SDRs per passenger. The insurance coverage for baggage will be 1,131 SDRs per passenger, while for goods will 19 SDRs per kilogram.

In case of aircraft accidents that result in death or bodily injury, the air carrier will make payments in advance to persons who have the right to claim damages proportionally to the extent of the caused damage.

If the minimum insurance requirements are not respected, the Civil Aviation Authority will suspend the air operator’s certificate and flight permit of Moldovan airlines.

The new provisions will be applied to all carriers that operate flights in, to, from or above Moldova, not yet to state-owned aircraft intended for military, customs or police services, pedal-powered flying machines, including motor paraplanners and deltaplanes, captive air balloons, parachutes, etc.

The authors suggest that the new provisions should take effect in six months of their publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Moldova.