Legal Status of Civil Aircraft

Abstract

The legal status of aircraft is a paramount important issue. Aircraft have the nationality of the State in which they are registered. The State of registration of the aircraft is competent to exercise the jurisdiction over acts committed on board. The importance of the separation of civil and state aircraft is that the Chicago Convention (1944) shall be applicable only to civil aircraft, and shall not to state aircraft. The use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight is forbidden. The international law at the same time provides the right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations.