Article 137 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 137 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الأول: مسؤولية الناقل الجوي
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 لتعليمات السلطات المختصة.
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 137 explained in plain English
This article protects the air carrier from liability where a passenger is disembarked for reasons of order and safety or by order of the authorities.
The carrier is not liable in the following cases:
- if the aircraft commander is compelled to disembark or hand over a passenger who disturbs order on board;
- if the aircraft commander is compelled to disembark or hand over a passenger who endangers the safety of the aircraft or passengers; or
- if the passenger is disembarked on the instructions of the competent authorities.
Conditions for the first two cases: The commander must be "compelled," and the passenger must actually be disturbing order or posing a danger. The exemption is tied to these reasons and does not cover disembarking a passenger without cause.
The rationale: The aircraft commander is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and those on board, and should not hesitate to disembark a passenger who threatens that safety for fear of compensation claims.
Practical effect: A passenger disembarked for these reasons cannot claim compensation from the carrier on the basis of the disembarkation. If the disembarkation was not for one of these reasons, the exemption does not apply.
This article follows Article 136 on the carrier's liability for jettisoning baggage, and precedes Article 138, which obliges the carrier to verify passengers' and goods' documents. Someone who was disembarked from an aircraft and believes it was unjustified may consult a lawyer specializing in compensation and aviation cases.
Practical example
On a domestic flight, a passenger kept shouting and harassing other passengers and refused to comply with the crew's instructions, so the aircraft commander was compelled to disembark him at the airport before takeoff and hand him to the authorities. The carrier is not liable to him for this disembarkation.
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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Frequently asked questions about Article 137 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Am I entitled to compensation if the airline removed me from a flight?
The carrier is not liable if the aircraft commander is compelled to disembark a passenger who disturbs order or endangers safety, or if the passenger is disembarked on the instructions of the competent authorities. In other cases this exemption does not apply.
May the aircraft commander disembark a passenger who poses a danger?
The article assumes so: it relieves the carrier of liability if the commander is compelled to disembark or hand over a passenger who endangers the safety of the aircraft or passengers.
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 135
International treaties the Kingdom has joined apply to international and domestic air carriage of persons, baggage and goods.
تطبق المعاهدات الدولية المنضمة إليها المملكة على النقل الجوي الدولي والداخلي للأشخاص والأمتعة والبضائع.
- 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 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.