SingaporeWhat is the limit of airline liability for death/injury?
Under Singapore law, an airline’s liability for death or bodily injury to a passenger is unlimited unless the airline proves it was not negligent or that the injury resulted solely from the passenger’s health condition.
What the Law Says
The Carriage by Air Act governs airline liability for passenger death or injury during international and domestic air travel in Singapore. It incorporates the Montreal Convention principles, removing fixed monetary caps for such claims.
Section 3 of the Carriage by Air Act states that the carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or bodily injury of a passenger if the accident causing the injury occurred on board the aircraft or during embarkation or disembarkation.
Crucially, the Act does not set a maximum financial limit on this liability — meaning compensation is not capped at a fixed sum like S$X,000. Instead, liability is determined based on actual loss and proven causation.
The airline may avoid liability only by proving that it and its employees took all necessary measures to avoid the damage, or that it was impossible to take such measures — effectively placing the burden of proof on the airline.
Statutory TextThe carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or bodily injury of a passenger if the accident which caused the death or injury took place on board the aircraft or during any of the operations of embarking or disembarking.
— Carriage by Air Act, s. 3 — Liability for death or injury
What to Do
Gather evidence of the incident (e.g., boarding pass, medical reports, witness statements).
Notify the airline in writing within 7 days of discovering the injury or death.
File a claim with the airline — they must respond within a reasonable time.
If unresolved, consult a lawyer to file a civil suit in the Singapore courts.
Note: Legal action must be brought within 2 years from the date of arrival, or date the aircraft should have arrived, or date carriage stopped.
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.