Article 146 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 146 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: المسؤولية عن الأضرار التي تسببها الطائرة للغير على سطح الأرض
The maximum limits of compensation for damage caused by aircraft to third parties on the surface in the Kingdom apply in accordance with the international treaties, as amended, that the Kingdom has joined.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق الحدود القصوى لمبالغ التعويض المستحقة عن الأضرار التي تسببها الطائرات للغير على سطح الأرض في إقليم المملكة وفقا لأحكام المعاهدات الدولية وتعديلاتها المنضمة إليها المملكة.
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 146 explained in plain English
This article identifies the source of the maximum limits of compensation for damage caused by aircraft to third parties on the surface in the territory of the Kingdom.
The rule: These limits apply in accordance with the provisions of the international treaties, and their amendments, that the Kingdom has joined.
What does a maximum limit mean? That the operator's liability for such damage is not, in principle, unlimited in amount, but has a ceiling set by the treaties. As a rule, the liable person cannot be ordered to pay more than this ceiling.
What the article does not state: The article gives no figures and does not name the treaties, so the treaties the Kingdom has joined and their amendments must be consulted to find the amounts. The reference to "amendments" means that the limits follow any amendment to the treaties that the Kingdom has joined.
The exception: It is followed by Article 147, which makes liability unlimited, subject to the international treaties, if the injured person proves that the damage resulted from a deliberate act or omission by the operator or its employees or agents with intent to cause damage, or from recklessness with knowledge that damage would probably result, or if a person unlawfully seizes and uses an aircraft.
It comes after Article 145 on more than one aircraft taking part in causing damage. To find the ceiling that applies in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in compensation and aviation cases.
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 146 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Is there a maximum limit on compensation for aircraft damage on the ground?
Yes. The maximum compensation limits apply in accordance with the international treaties, as amended, that the Kingdom has joined.
Does the article state the maximum amount?
No. It refers to the international treaties the Kingdom has joined without stating amounts.
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 144
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.
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 - إ
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.