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Interactive Aviation Map: Latin America

Welcome to the Interactive Aviation Map: Latin America. Please click on each jurisdiction to access details of key aviation law.

  • Warsaw Convention / Hague Protocol states
  • Non-convention states
  • Montreal Convention 1999 states

THANK YOU TO

  • Argentina Marval O’Farrell Mairal
  • The Bahamas Higgs & Johnson
  • Bolivia Estudio de Abogados Lopez del Solar
  • Brazil CAR – in cooperation with HFW
  • Chile Estudio Carvallo
  • Colombia Garciarboleda Abogados
  • Costa Rica BLP
  • Dominican Republic Mesa Abogados
  • Ecuador Santacruz & Donoso
  • El Salvador BLP
  • Guatemala Nassar Abogados

  • Guyana Hughes, Fields & Stoby
  • Honduras BLP
  • Jamaica Myers, Fletcher & Gordon
  • Mexico Colin Vega Fletes Abogados
  • Nicaragua BLP
  • Panama Pardini & Asociados
  • Paraguay GHP Abogados
  • Peru Estudio Rodríguez Larraín
  • Puerto Rico  Marini Pietrantoni Muñiz (MPM)
  • Venezuela Torres Plaz & Araujo



BRAZIL

CIVIL CODE (TORT-BASED CLAIMS/EXTRACONTRACTUAL LIABILITY)
3 YEARS

CIVIL CODE (CONTRACTUAL LIABILITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE)
10 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
2 YEARS

CONSUMER CODE
5 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


BOLIVIA

CIVIL CODE
Property rights:

5 YEARS

CIVIL CODE
For damage caused by a wrongful act or generated from extracontractual liability:

3 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Damage caused to passengers, baggage, merchandise, and third parties on the surface:

1 YEAR

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Damages caused to crew members:

2 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


MEXICO

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Personal injuries:

1 YEAR

WARSAW SYSTEM
Liability actions (including personal injuries):

2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION
1999Liability actions (including personal injuries):

2 YEARS


GUATEMALA

TORTIOUS CLAIMS
1 YEAR (from the time of the damage)

CONTRACTUAL CLAIMS
2 YEARS (from the time of the damage/negative of coverage or payment)

AERONAUTICAL CODE
No time limit established. Reference is made to other regulations.

CONSUMER LEGISLATION
3 YEARS (from the date the offense was committed. This only applies to offenses prescribed under the Consumer and User Protection Law.)

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


EL SALVADOR

CIVIL CODE
20 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
2 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


HONDURAS

CIVIL CODE
10 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
2 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


JAMAICA

TORTIOUS CLAIMS
3 — 6 YEARS

CONTRACTUAL CLAIMS
6 YEARS

CONSUMER LEGISLATION
6 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Not applicable.

WARSAW SYSTEM
Not applicable.

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


PUERTO RICO

CIVIL CODE
1 YEAR (1802 Civil Code of Puerto Rico)

AERONAUTICAL CODE
N/A

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 years limitation period. (Article 29(1))

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 years limitation period. (Article 35)


NICARAGUA

CIVIL CODE
10 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
1 YEAR death or injury
2 YEARS all other complaints

WARSAW SYSTEM
N/A

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 Years


COSTA RICA

CIVIL CODE
10 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
2 YEARS

CONSUMER CODE
2 MONTHS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


PANAMA

AERONAUTICAL CODE
2 YEARS from the date incident occurs. Art 170 of Law 21 of 2003

WARSAW SYSTEM
Applicable for international transportation

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
Applicable for international transportation


COLOMBIA

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Commercial Code:
2 YEARS for contractual claims

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Civil Code:
10 YEARS for extracontractual claims

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS for all claims

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS for all claims


VENEZUELA

CONTRACTUAL CLAIMS
10 YEARS

INSURANCE CONTRACTS
3 YEARS from date of loss.
Court proceedings must be commenced within 1 year after the Insurer denies the claim.

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Damages to passengers, baggage or cargo:
3 YEARS After an initial period comprising of 30 working days to file a claim against the airline and 60 working days for the airline to respond (reckoned from the date of the [scheduled] arrival at the destination or date of delay/cancellation) .

AERONAUTICAL CODE
the Damages to third parties on surface:
3 YEARS from the date of the occurrence

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Collision:
3 YEARS from the date of the occurrence

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS


ECUADOR

CIVIL CODE
4 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
No time limits, but makes reference to the international conventions in force in Ecuador

CONSUMER CODE
1 YEAR

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


GUYANA

TORTIOUS CLAIMS
3 YEARS

CONTRACTUAL CLAIMS
6 YEARS for some memorialized

AERONAUTICAL CODE
3 YEARS

CONSUMER LEGISLATION
3 YEARS

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS


PERU

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Civil Aeronautics Act, Law No. 27261
Regulations of the Civil Aeronautics Law, Supreme Decree No. 050-2001-MTC


PARAGUAY

TORTIOUS / CONTRACTUAL CLAIMS
2 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
1 YEAR

CONSUMER LEGISLATION
1 YEAR


CHILE

CIVIL CODE
5 YEARS

AERONAUTICAL CODE
1 YEAR

CONSUMER CODE
6 MONTHS
N.B.: Not applicable to aviation losses, but amendments to the law are expected that are expected to change this status.

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS


ARGENTINA

AERONAUTICAL CODE
Depending on the type of claim, time limits may range from six months to two years. For claims related to damages caused to passengers, baggage or transported goods the time limit is one year.

WARSAW SYSTEM
2 YEARS

MONTREAL CONVENTION 1999
2 YEARS



OFFICES

RIO DE JANERIO

PRAÇA FLORIANO 19 – 25º ANDAR
CENTRO
RIO DE JANEIRO
CEP: 20031-924

+55 (21) 3550 9010

SÃO PAULO

AV. ANGÉLICA Nº 2346
10° ANDAR – CJ. 103/104
CONSOLAÇÃO
CSÃO PAULO – SP
CEP: 01.228-200

+55 (11) 3179 2900

© HFW LLP 2022. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (No. 509977). The information provided is intended to give general information, as at 1 January 2022, about certain legal topics and is not a complete statement of the law. It must not be relied upon or act as a substitute for legal advice in relation to particular circumstances. Accordingly, we do not accept any liability for any loss which may arise from reliance upon the information it contains.

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