Comments on the Fifth Jurisdiction under the Montreal Convention 1999

One of the most significant additions to the Warsaw Convention liability system, brought about by the coming into force of the Montreal Convention 1999(MC 99), was the creation of the new so-called fifth jurisdiction, whereby an Article 17 action for damages for passanger bodily injury or death only, may be brought at the option of the claimant/plaintiff. The fifth jurisdiction-the pernanent residence of the passenger at the time of the accident,provided that the carrier has a specified business presence in that jurisdiction-was one of the provisions of MC99 that provoked the most debate at the Montreal Conference leading to the adoption of MC99. Some scholars in China fear that the fifth jurisdiction will be abused after the MC99 came into force to China in 2005. The present article argues that the fifth jurisdiction would not be abused as long as such international private doctrines as forum non-conveniens are applied by the trial court appropriately. The article also points out that the challenge before the legislative body of China is to amend the civil aviation law and other related laws so that to solve the conflicts among the laws and meet the obligations provided by the MC99.