ABSTRACT
The Chicago Convention 1944 contains no Article specifically relating to acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation (“unlawful acts”) which only quite recently earned their Annex 17 in 1974. Article 3b is of the Chicago Convention deals with interception of civil aircraft. The Attachment to Annex 17 lists those Standard Procedures and Recommended Practices (SARPS) in other Annexes and ancillary documents which are directly affected by unlawful acts. Annex 8 must now be added to the list. For domestic legislation on unlawful acts, see for example the United Kingdom Aviation Security Act 1982 and the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990. Unlawful acts are now an unwelcome part of aviation operations and the SARPS. Claims are made, successfully fought or settled by individuals against enterprises and authorities who are innocent of any involvement in an unlawful act other than having failed to prevent it.
