Article 135 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 135 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الأول: مسؤولية الناقل الجوي
International treaties the Kingdom has joined apply to international and domestic air carriage of persons, baggage and goods.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق المعاهدات الدولية المنضمة إليها المملكة على النقل الجوي الدولي والداخلي للأشخاص والأمتعة والبضائع.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 135 explained in plain English
This is a short article, but it affects the rights of travelers and shippers.
The rule: The international treaties the Kingdom has joined apply to air carriage that is:
- international; and
- also domestic.
What is carried: persons, baggage and goods.
Why it matters: International treaties on air carriage were originally made for international carriage, but this article extends their application to domestic carriage within the Kingdom. So the relationship between a traveler flying from Riyadh to Jeddah and the carrier is governed by the international treaties the Kingdom has joined, just as for a traveler flying from Riyadh to London.
What the article does not specify: The article does not name the treaties, and does not state compensation amounts or limits. The treaties the Kingdom has actually joined must be consulted for the detailed rules.
Relation to neighboring articles: This article follows Article 134, which makes the carrier's liability toward the passenger, shipper and consignee contractual liability governed by the international treaties the Kingdom has joined, the Law, other laws and instructions. It is followed by Article 136, which makes the carrier liable for jettisoning baggage and goods during flight even if it was necessary to save the aircraft or passengers. Anyone who lost baggage or whose goods were damaged on a domestic flight may consult a lawyer specializing in compensation and aviation cases.
Practical example
Saad lost his suitcase on a domestic flight from Dammam to Abha. The international treaties the Kingdom has joined apply to his claim, even though the flight is domestic, as if it were an international flight.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
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Frequently asked questions about Article 135 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Do international treaties apply to domestic flights in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. The international treaties the Kingdom has joined apply to international and domestic air carriage of persons, baggage and goods.
Does the article set compensation amounts?
No. It refers to the international treaties the Kingdom has joined without stating amounts.
More articles on Liability of the Air Carrier
- Article 117
The facts covered by the investigation committee's final report on an aircraft accident are considered correct until the contrary is proved.
تعد الوقائع التي شملها التقرير النهائي الذي تضعه لجنة التحقيق في حادث الطائرة صحيحة حتى يتم إثبات عكسها.
- Article 133
For the purposes of the chapter on air carrier liability, "air carrier" means the contracting or actual carrier, and "Montreal Convention" means the 1999 convention unifying certain rules for international air carriage.
يُقصد بالعبارات والمصطلحات الآتية أينما وردت في هذا الفصل المعاني المبينة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : الناقل الجوي : الناقل المتعاقد أو الناقل الفعلي حس
- Article 134
The air carrier's liability toward the passenger, shipper and consignee is contractual liability under the contract of carriage, governed by the international treaties the Kingdom has joined, the Law, other laws and applicable instructions.
تكون مسؤولية الناقل الجوي في علاقته مع الراكب أو شاحن البضائع والمرسل إليه مسؤولية تعاقدية وفقا لعقد النقل الجوي المبرم مع كل منهما، وتخضع لأحكام المعاهدات الدو
- Article 136
The air carrier is liable to passengers, shippers and consignees for jettisoning baggage and goods during flight, even if it was necessary to save the aircraft or passengers.
يكون الناقل الجوي مسؤولا تجاه الركاب والشاحنين والمرسل إليهم عن إلقاء الأمتعة والبضائع المشحونة أثناء الطيران حتى ولو كان لا بد من إلقائها لنجاة الطائرة أو الرك
- Article 137
The carrier is not liable if the aircraft commander is compelled to disembark or hand over a passenger who disturbs order or endangers safety, or if the passenger is disembarked on the instructions of the competent authorities.
لا يكون الناقل مسؤولا إذا اضطر قائد الطائرة إلى إنزال أو تسليم أي راكب يخل بالنظام على متن الطائرة أو يشكل خطرا على سلامة الطائرة أو الركاب أو تم إنزاله تنفيذا
- Article 138
Every air carrier in the Kingdom's territory must verify that passengers and goods hold the entry or exit documents required, including on domestic carriage where appropriate, and bears liability for any failure.
1- يجب على كل ناقل جوي في إقليم المملكة التحقق من استيفاء الركاب والبضائع للمستندات والوثائق اللازمة للدخول إلى المملكة أو الخروج منها إلى المطار المقصود. 2 - ت
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.