Arbitral Digest

Matter

Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd v Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc (New South Wales Court of Appeal [2026] NSWCA 105)

  1. 15 December 2025Australia

    15 December 2025Australia

    Decision of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in the case Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd v Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc [2025] NSWSC 1500 dated 15 December 2025

    Supreme Court of New South Wales

    Case no.
    2023/308136
    Citation
    [2025] NSWSC 1500
    Decision summary
    The primary judge declined to stay Polar Air's contractual cross-claims in favour of arbitration, holding that Article 9 of the Main Agreement was not an arbitration agreement within the meaning of the International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth).

    Supporting details

    3 participants
    Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd
    Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc
    Supreme Court of New South Wales

    5 months and 20 days later · 171 days

  2. 4 June 2026Australia

    4 June 2026Australia

    Decision of the New South Wales Court of Appeal in the case Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd v Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc [2026] NSWCA 105 dated 4 June 2026

    New South Wales Court of Appeal

    Case no.
    2026/00013902
    Citation
    [2026] NSWCA 105
    Decision summary
    The Court granted leave to appeal but dismissed the appeal with costs. It held that Article 9 of the IATA Standard Group Handling Agreement required both parties to elect arbitration and agree on the arbitral process; it was not a binding arbitration agreement, and the contractual cross-claims were not entitled to a stay in favour of arbitration.

    Supporting details

    31 authorities · 11 participants
    Application
    Application for leave to appeal — Leave granted
    Application
    Application to stay contractual cross-claims in favour of arbitration — Appeal dismissed with costs
    Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd
    Representative
    T Brennan SC (For: Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd)
    Representative
    H Cooper (For: Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd)
    Representative
    Norton White (For: Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd)
    Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc
    Representative
    J Hogan-Doran SC (For: Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc)
    Representative
    S Odgers (For: Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc)
    Representative
    HWL Ebsworth Lawyers (For: Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc)
    New South Wales Court of Appeal
    Judge
    Bell CJ
    Judge
    Kirk JA

    Authorities cited

    31
    • Commercial Arbitration Act 1985 (NT)
      statute
    • International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth)
      statute
    • UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (1985)
      model law
    • AFC Holdings Pty Ltd v Shiprock Holdings Pty Ltd ((2010) 15 BPR 28,199; [2010] NSWSC 985)
      case
    • Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd ((1973) 129 CLR 99; [1973] HCA 36)
      case
    • Canadian National Railway v Lovat Tunnel Equipment Inc ((1999) 174 DLR (4th) 385)
      case
    • Coal Cliff Collieries Pty Ltd v Sijehama Pty Ltd ((1991) 24 NSWLR 1)
      case
    • Comandate Marine Corp v Pan Australia Shipping Pty Ltd ((2006) 157 FCR 45; (2006) 238 ALR 457; [2006] FCAFC 192)
      case
    • Commercial Union Assurance Co Plc v NRG Victory Reinsurance Limited (Skandia International Insurance Corpn v NRG Victory Reinsurance Ltd) ([1998] 1 Lloyd's Rep 80)
      case
    • Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd v Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd ([2025] NSWSC 610)
      case
    • FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v Ocean Marine Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association ((1997) 41 NSWLR 559)
      case
    • Ferris v Plaister ((1994) 34 NSWLR 474; (1994) 11 BCL 417)
      case
    • Flakt Australia Ltd v Wilkens & Davies Construction Co Ltd ([1979] 2 NSWLR 243; (1979) 25 ALR 605)
      case
    • Global Partners Fund Limited v Babcock & Brown Limited (in liq) ([2010] NSWCA 196; (2010) 79 ACSR 383)
      case
    • Hermes One Ltd v Everbread Holdings Ltd ([2016] 1 WLR 4098; [2016] UKPC 1)
      case
    • HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation) v R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993 underwriting account & Ors ((2006) 68 NSWLR 603; [2006] NSWSC 1150)
      case
    • Inghams Enterprises Pty Limited v Hannigan ((2020) 379 ALR 196; [2020] NSWCA 82)
      case
    • Itec Corp v Chicago Aerial Industries (248 A 2d 625 (Del 1968))
      case
    • Jillcy Film Enterprises Inc v Home Box Office Inc (593 F Supp 515 (1984))
      case
    • King v Brandywine Reinsurance Co (UK) Ltd ([2004] 2 Lloyd's Rep 670; [2004] EWHC 1033 (Comm))
      case
    • Nas Aviation Services India Pvt. Ltd vs Kingfisher Airlines Limited (High Court of Judicature at Bombay, 28 February 2014, unreported)
      case
    • Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd v Paramount (WA) Ltd ([2008] WASCA 110)
      case
    • PMT Partners Pty Ltd (In liq) v Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service ((1995) 184 CLR 301; [1995] HCA 36)
      case
    • Re McNamara Construction of Ontario Ltd v Brock University ([1970] 2 O.R. 583; 11 D.L.R. (3d) 513)
      case
    • Ridgeway Coal Co Inc v F M C Corporation (616 F Supp 404 (1985))
      case
    • United Group Rail Services Limited v Rail Corporation New South Wales ((2009) 74 NSWLR 618; [2009] NSWCA 177)
      case
    • Walter Rau Neusser Oel und Fett AG v Cross Pacific Trading Ltd ([2005] FCA 1102)
      case
    • Westfield Management Ltd v AMP Capital Property Nominees Ltd ((2012) 247 CLR 129; [2012] HCA 54)
      case
    • XL Insurance Co SE v BNY Trust Company of Australia Limited ([2019] NSWCA 215)
      case
    • G B Born, International Commercial Arbitration (3rd ed, 2021, Wolters Kluwer)
      academic
    • P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (3rd ed, 2024, Lawbook Co)
      academic

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Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd v Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc (New South Wales Court of Appeal [2026] NSWCA 105) · Matter