A Bill to enhance compensation to air travellers in case of death or injury or loss or damage of baggage and cargo, bringing it at par with the international levels and norms, was tabled in Lok Sabha on Friday.

The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill 2007 introduced by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel would give effect to the provisions of the 1999 Montreal Convention which deals with these and several other issues.

Government had recently decided to accede to the Convention for unification of certain rules for international carriage by air to bring the country at par with other major nations of the world.

The major features of the Convention include enhancing the amount of compensation for death or injury to 100,000 Special Drawing Rights worth $20,000 and provision for advance payment in case of death or bodily injury.

It also provides for expansion of the choice of jurisdiction to include the place of domicile of the passenger and review of limits of liability based on inflation, the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill said.

Other salient features of the Convention include recognition of the use of electronic documents like e-tickets and to bring uniformity in the application of liabibility regime, ending multiplicity of international instruments.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation had taken the initiative and carried out a socio-economic study with a view to revise the levels of compensation and modernising the existing liability provisions. After long deliberations, the ICAO adopted the Convention at Montreal.