The year 2026 has started in India with a painful plane accident. The frequent air accidents in the last few years have once again raised questions about air safety and passengers' rights. A chartered plane crashed in Pune on Wednesday morning, carrying six people including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The accident was so serious that everyone died on the spot. This incident has happened at a time when the country has not completely recovered from the memories of the Air India plane crash that took place in April last year, in which about 200 people lost their lives.
After that Air India accident, there was a lot of discussion about compensation and financial assistance worth crores of rupees was given to the victims' families. now in pune chartered plane accidents After this, once again the same question is being raised whether compensation is available even in a chartered plane accident. If it is received then who gives it and how much amount is given?
Baramati plane crash.
In the case of commercial flights like Air India, the basis of compensation is based on international rules. Montreal Convention 1999 is applicable in most of the countries of the world including India. It is an international treaty, which clarifies the rights of passengers and the responsibilities of airlines. In India, it has been implemented under the Carriage by Air Act and its compliance is monitored by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation i.e. DGCA.
Under the Montreal Convention, if a passenger dies or is seriously injured on a commercial flight, the airline has to pay compensation. For this, neither the fault of the airline has to be proved nor any kind of negligence has to be shown. This rule comes into effect immediately as soon as an accident occurs. At present, under this, every passenger is entitled to get compensation ranging from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 1.85 crore.
The biggest difference between chartered aircraft and commercial flights is that chartered aircraft are non-scheduled. That means they do not run on the basis of regular ticket sales to the general public. This is the reason why the Montreal Convention does not apply directly to them.
Chartered jets are generally used for VIP movements, corporate travel or personal trips. Legally these are considered private or non-scheduled operations. For this reason, there is no fixed government limit on compensation in these accidents, rather it completely depends on the responsibility of the operator, insurance policy and court decisions.
Even though the Montreal Convention does not apply to chartered flights, it does not mean that victims do not receive compensation. It is mandatory for every chartered aircraft operator to take third party and passenger insurance. Through this insurance, compensation is given after the accident. Compensation is not automatic in such cases. The victim's families have to prove that the accident occurred due to human error, technical fault or negligence of the operator. The role of the insurance company and operator is decisive here.
After a chartered plane accident, the victim's family can file a claim for compensation in the civil court or consumer court. The court considers many aspects while deciding the amount of compensation, such as the age of the deceased, his income, dependent family members, social status and the reason for the accident.
This is the reason why the amount of compensation in chartered plane accidents is not the same. In some cases, it has been limited to Rs 50 lakh, whereas in some big cases, compensation ranging from Rs 7 to 11 crore has been given. In the earlier chartered plane accidents in Mangaluru and Kozhikode, the courts had awarded compensation of up to Rs 11 crore to the families of the victims.
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The biggest challenge in chartered plane accidents is who was at fault. If the investigation proves that the pilot's negligence, poor maintenance or technical failure caused the accident, then the chances of getting compensation become stronger. But if the accident is caused solely by bad weather, natural disaster or something that is considered an 'Act of God', then compensation may also be denied.
According to initial reports in the Pune accident, bad weather is being said to be the main reason for the accident. If the final investigation comes to the same conclusion, then it may become legally difficult for the victims' families to get compensation in this case.
The Learjet 45 was introduced in the 90s.
The Learjet 45XR involved in the Pune accident is considered a state-of-the-art business jet. It has been specially designed by Bombardier Aerospace for fast, safe and comfortable personal journeys. Usually 8 to 9 passengers can travel in this aircraft, due to which it is very popular in VIP and corporate travel. The maximum speed of Learjet 45XR is about 858 kilometers per hour and it is capable of covering long distances in short time. Its specialty is that it can take off and land even on short runways, which makes it special in a country like India.
Its price in the international market is considered to be between 9 lakh to 15 lakh dollars. Due to its high price, it is used more in charter or corporate operations rather than for personal purchase. Today this plane is not just a means of travel, but has become a symbol of fast decisions, secrecy and VIP movement.
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