European Air Law Dissertation advice please

[docash1983]

Hi Guys and Girls,

I am currently a second year university law student and am trying to decide on which area to do my dissertation. I hope to train as a commercial pilot after my studies, and am seeking advice on areas combining contract law and european airline law, regarding contractual liability. However, the problem is after having done extensive searches on the internet, I don't really have any direction in which to go in, as the tutor is away due to family problems and nobody else in the law school is able to advise me. My aim is to base my dissertation on something which a potential sponsor or school would be impressed with, but again have no real idea of what areas are of prominent concern in the contract field. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Docash1983

[san diego]

Hi, I am a 'travel' rather than 'aviation' lawyer, I spend my time advising operators and agents on how to deal with angry passengers rather than specifically aviation-only matters. However, changes in laibility under the Montreal Convention might be something to examine or possibly the law behind restrictions on the right to fly from A to B and the effect of the recent agreements between the EU and the US and how they will impact the industry might be a start.
If you look at aviation from a consumer point of view, the EU Regulations on Denied Boarding cause serious problems from everyone's point of view, airlines seem to do everything to avoid them and customers are beginning to think that they are not worth the paper they are printed on. Meanwhile the EU Commisson announced this week that they would attempt to re write them to stop airlines 'getting away with it'
Another area which is topical and for which you should be able to find plenty of information on is the failed attempt last year to introduce a levy in the UK on airlines to provide financial protection for consumers in the event that a scheduled airline ceases flying. Tour operators have had to carry this burden for over 30 years but airlines have no such obligations. There are various House of Commons Transport Select Committee discusssions as well as Hansard to start with if that sounds interesting
My own speciality is the contractual and fault liabilities under the EU Package Travel Directive of 1990 but this is again travel industry rather than specifically aviation based. I know there is a specific aviation lawyer who sometimes posts but perhaps like me, he rarely looks at this specific forum. Good luck