Article 151 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 151 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: المسؤولية عن الأضرار التي تسببها الطائرة للغير على سطح الأرض
Claims for compensation for damage caused by aircraft to third parties on the surface in the Kingdom, and to Saudi ships and aircraft on the high seas, are brought before the Board of Grievances; parties may agree on another country's courts or arbitration.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تقام دعوى التعويض عن الأضرار التي تسببها الطائرات للغير على سطح الأرض في إقليم المملكة وكذا الأضرار التي تقع على السفن والطائرات السعودية في أعالي البحار أمام ديوان المظالم .
2- يجوز الاتفاق بين واحد أو أكثر من المدعين، وواحد أو أكثر من المدعى عليهم؛ على إقامة الدعوى أمام محاكم أي دولة أخرى أو أن يعرضوا النزاع على هيئة تحكيم في إقليم المملكة أو أي دولة أخرى.
3- إذا رفعت دعوى التعويض أمام ديوان المظالم فعليه التأكد من أن المدعى عليه وجميع الخصوم الآخرين أولي الشأن قد تم إعلانهم بكل إجراء يخصهم، وأنه قد تهيأت لهم فرص عادلة وملائمة للدفاع عن مصالحهم.
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 151 explained in plain English
This article identifies the judicial body competent to hear claims for compensation for damage caused by aircraft on the surface, and allows parties to agree otherwise.
1- Primary jurisdiction: A claim for compensation for the following is brought before the Board of Grievances:
- damage caused by aircraft to third parties on the surface in the territory of the Kingdom; and
- damage to Saudi ships and aircraft on the high seas.
2- Agreement permitted: One or more claimants and one or more defendants may agree to:
- bring the claim before the courts of any other country; or
- submit the dispute to an arbitration tribunal in the territory of the Kingdom or any other country.
3- Procedural safeguards: If the claim is brought before the Board of Grievances, it must ensure that the defendant and all other interested parties have been notified of every procedure concerning them, and that they have been given fair and adequate opportunities to defend their interests.
This article follows Article 150, which requires the claim to be filed or served within six months of the accident, bars hearing it after two years except at the court's discretion, and bars accepting it after three years. It is followed by Article 152 on the operator's insurance to cover its liability. Anyone wishing to file a claim or agree to arbitration may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and compensation.
Practical example
A factory in Yanbu was damaged in an accident involving a foreign cargo aircraft, and the factory owner agreed with the aircraft operator to submit the dispute to an arbitration tribunal in Riyadh instead of the Board of Grievances. This agreement is permitted under the article.
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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Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
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Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 151 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Where do I file a claim for compensation for aircraft damage in Saudi Arabia?
Before the Board of Grievances.
May arbitration be used in aircraft damage claims?
Yes. The claimants and defendants may agree to submit the dispute to an arbitration tribunal in the Kingdom or any other country, or to bring the claim before the courts of another country.
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.