Article 144 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 144 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: المسؤولية عن الأضرار التي تسببها الطائرة للغير على سطح الأرض
The liable person is exempt from compensating surface damage caused by armed conflict or civil disturbance, by being barred from using the aircraft by order of public authorities, or by the injured person's fault; compensation is reduced in proportion to the injured person's contribution.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا يلتزم الشخص المسؤول وفقا لأحكام هذا الفصل بتعويض الضرر الذي يقع في الأحوال الآتية:
أ - إذا كان الضرر قد نتج مباشرة عن نزاع مسلح أو لاضطرابات مدنية.
ب - إذا كان هذا الشخص قد منع من استعمال الطائرة بأمر السلطات العامة.
ج - إذا ثبت أن الضرر قد نجم عن خطأ أو إهمال أو امتناع المتضرر أو تابعيه أو وكلائه.
2 - إذا أثبت الشخص المسؤول أن المتضرر أو أيا من تابعيه أو وكلائه قد ساهموا في وقوع الضرر، فإن التعويض يخفض بنسبة مساهمتهم.
3 - لا يكون هناك محل للإعفاء من المسؤولية أو تخفيفها في حالة خطأ تابعي المتضرر أو وكلائه إذا أثبت المتضرر أنهم كانوا يعملون خارج حدود صلاحياتهم.
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 144 explained in plain English
This article sets out when the person liable for damage caused by an aircraft on the surface is exempt from compensation, and when compensation is reduced.
1- Cases of exemption: The liable person is not bound to compensate damage occurring in the following cases:
- if the damage resulted directly from armed conflict or civil disturbance;
- if that person was barred from using the aircraft by order of the public authorities; or
- if it is proved that the damage was caused by the fault, negligence or omission of the injured person or its employees or agents.
2- Reduction: If the liable person proves that the injured person or any of its employees or agents contributed to the damage, compensation is reduced in proportion to their contribution. The difference between the two cases: for exemption, the damage was caused by the injured person's fault; for reduction, the injured person only contributed.
3- Exception to exemption and reduction: There is no ground for exemption or reduction because of the fault of the injured person's employees or agents if the injured person proves that they were acting outside the limits of their authority.
The burden of proof is divided in the text: the liable person proves the injured person's contribution, and the injured person proves that their employees exceeded their authority.
This article follows Article 143 on joint liability, and precedes Article 145, which governs liability when two or more aircraft take part in causing the damage. To assess the effect of the injured person's fault in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in compensation cases.
Practical example
A person built an unlicensed structure near an airport runway despite warnings, and it was damaged by an aircraft during landing. If the operator proves that the structure owner's negligence contributed to the damage, compensation is reduced in proportion to his contribution, and if it is proved that the damage was caused by his fault, the operator is not bound to compensate.
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 144 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
When does an airline not pay compensation for damage on the ground?
If the damage resulted directly from armed conflict or civil disturbance, the liable person was barred from using the aircraft by order of the public authorities, or it is proved that the damage was caused by the fault, negligence or omission of the injured person or its employees or agents.
Is compensation reduced if the injured person contributed to the damage?
Yes. Compensation is reduced in proportion to the contribution of the injured person or its employees or agents, if the liable person proves it.
More articles on Compensation for Damage Caused by Aircraft on the Ground
- Article 66
The article protects anyone who suffers surface damage from an aircraft when it is seized and sold by forced sale: security rights can be asserted against them only up to 80% of the price, unless the damage was insured.
1- إذا تم إجراء البيع الجبري في المملكة ووقع في إقليمها ضرر على السطح من طائرة تم ترتيب أحد الحقوق الواردة في المادة (السادسة والخمسين) من هذا النظام عليها ضمان
- Article 140
For the purposes of the chapter on damage on the surface, an aircraft is in flight from when motive power is first used for actual takeoff until landing; a lighter-than-air aircraft, from when it leaves the ground until it is secured again.
عند تطبيق أحكام هذا الفصل تعد الطائرة في حالة طيران منذ اللحظة التي يبدأ فيها استخدام القوة المحركة لغرض الإقلاع الفعلي حتى اللحظة التي يتم فيها الهبوط، وتبدأ ه
- Article 141
Anyone harmed on the surface in the Kingdom is entitled to compensation from the aircraft operator once it is shown that the damage arose directly from the aircraft in flight or from a person or thing that fell from it, subject to specified exceptions.
1 - لكل من أصيب بضرر على سطح الأرض في إقليم المملكة الحق في الحصول على تعويض من مشغل الطائرة بمجرد ثبوت أن الضرر قد نشأ مباشرة من الطائرة وهي في حالة طيران أو م
- Article 142
The aircraft operator is liable for compensation for surface damage whether it uses the aircraft itself or through its employees and agents, and the owner or lessee in whose name the aircraft is registered is deemed the operator unless it proves someone else is.
1 - يكون مشغل الطائرة مسؤولا عن التعويض المشار إليه في المادة (الحادية والأربعين بعد المائة) من هذا النظام سواء أكان يستعمل الطائرة بنفسه أو بواسطة تابعيه ووكلا
- Article 143
A person entitled to use the aircraft for less than 14 days is jointly liable with the person who authorized the use, and the operator is jointly liable with anyone who used its aircraft without its consent unless it proves it took the necessary care.
1- يكون الشخص الذي له حق استعمال الطائرة لمدة تقل عن أربعة عشر يوما مسؤولا بالتضامن مع الشخص الذي خوله هذا الحق في دفع التعويض عن الأضرار الموجبة للتعويض المشار
- Article 145
Where damage on the surface arises from a collision of two or more aircraft in flight, or one obstructing another, or from two or more aircraft, each aircraft is deemed to have caused the damage and each operator is liable in proportion to its fault or that of its employees.
إذا نشأ ضرر للغير على سطح الأرض يستحق عنه تعويض نتيجة تصادم طائرتين أو أكثر في حالة طيران ، أو بسبب إعاقة إحداهما سير الأخرى، أو إذا نشأ مثل هذا الضرر من طائرتي
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.