Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) Where this Part applies to the carriage of a passenger, the carrier is liable under this Part, and not otherwise, for damage sustained in the event of the destruction or loss of, or injury to, baggage of the passenger, if the occurrence which causes the destruction, loss or injury takes place during the period of the carriage by air unless the carrier proves that the carrier and the carrier's servants and agents took all necessary measures to avoid the destruction, loss or injury or that it was impossible for the carrier or them to take such measures.
(2) For the purposes of the last preceding subsection but subject to the next succeeding subsection, the period of the carriage by air comprises:
(a) in relation to baggage other than registered baggage--the period during which the passenger is on board the aircraft or is in the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking; and
(b) in relation to registered baggage--the period during which the baggage is in the charge of the carrier, whether on board the aircraft or elsewhere.
(3) In proceedings under this section in respect of registered baggage, if the carrier proves that the baggage was, within a period of twelve hours after the arrival of the aircraft at the place to which the baggage was to be carried in the aircraft, available for collection by the passenger at a place at which, under the contract, the baggage was to be or could be made available to the passenger, the period of the carriage by air shall not be deemed to include any time after the expiration of that period of twelve hours.
(4) In the application of section 39 in relation to an action under this Part i n respect of baggage other than registered baggage, the carrier shall be deemed to have proved that the damage was caused by the negligence of the passenger, except so far as the passenger proves that he or she was not responsible for the damage.
(5) Where, in relation to carriage referred to in subsection ( 4) of section 27, registered baggage has been destroyed, lost or injured in circumstances in which, if the carriage had been performed by a single carrier, that carrier would be subject to liability under this section, the carriers (other than a carrier who proves that the baggage was not in the carrier's charge at the time of the destruction, loss or injury) are jointly and severally subject to that liability.