Indian air travellers will now get the same amount of compensation as applicable in Western nations in case of loss of lives, baggage or cargo with parliament on Thursday passing a bill in this regard.
The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill 2008, which got a nod from Rajya Sabha on February 18, was passed by the Lok Sabha after minor amendments.
The amendment to the 1972 Act includes provisions of the 1999 Montreal Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which seeks to increase compensation for death or injury to $1,40,000 from the existing rate of $2,000.
Similarly compensation for damage to checked-in baggage will go up to $1400 (Rs 70,000) per passenger from the present $20 (Rs 1000) per kilogram per passenger.
The compensation for damage to cargo is planned to be increased from $20 per kg approximatley to $24 per kg.
The legislation was necessitated as in case of loss of baggage or cargo, there was one kind of compensation in India and another in Europe, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said, adding that the Bill aimed to end this disparity.
