Article 34 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 34 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الأول: إنشاء المطارات وإدارتها واستعمالها
Airports, facilities, buildings, equipment, wired and wireless stations and beacons belonging to the Authority are public utilities.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تعد المطارات والمنشآت والمباني والأجهزة والمعدات والمحطات السلكية واللاسلكية والمنارات التابعة للهيئة من المرافق العامة .
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 34 explained in plain English
This article sets the legal description of the aviation facilities belonging to the Authority, treating them as public utilities. They include:
- Airports.
- Facilities and buildings.
- Instruments and equipment.
- Wired and wireless stations.
- Beacons.
The condition is that they belong to the Authority. The article does not address airports or landing strips that do not belong to the Authority, and no rule about them should be inferred from it.
The importance of this description is that it places these facilities within the framework of utilities serving the public interest. The article does not state the detailed effects of this description; they are known from the laws that govern public utilities.
This article comes after Article 33, which requires the Authority's approval to establish, use or invest in civil airports and landing strips, and before Article 35, which makes the Authority responsible for managing its airports and supervising their operation and maintenance, while allowing others to be licensed to do so. The description as a public utility therefore does not prevent involving others in operation under that 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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Frequently asked questions about Article 34 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Are airports in Saudi Arabia public utilities?
Airports, facilities, equipment, stations and beacons belonging to the Authority are public utilities.
Does the public utility description cover navigation equipment?
Yes. It covers the instruments, equipment, wired and wireless stations and beacons belonging to the Authority.
More articles on Airports and Aviation Security
- Article 33
Civil airports and landing strips for civil aircraft in the Kingdom may not be established, prepared, used or operated as an investment without the Authority's approval.
لا يجوز إنشاء وإعداد المطارات المدنية أو المهابط للطائرات المدنية في المملكة، أو استعمالها أو استثمارها؛ إلا بعد الحصول على موافقة من الهيئة.
- Article 35
The Authority manages its airports and supervises their operation, maintenance and working rules, and may license others to do all or part of this without affecting civil aviation security and safety.
مع مراعاة أحكام الفقرة (5) من المادة (السادسة عشرة) من هذا النظام تتولى الهيئة إدارة المطارات التابعة لها والإشراف على تشغيلها وصيانتها ووضع قواعد العمل بها، وي
- Article 36
The Authority determines the types and categories of airports in coordination with the competent bodies.
تحدد الهيئة أنواع المطارات وفئاتها بالتنسيق مع الجهات المختصة.
- Article 37
Aircraft use declared civil airports in line with their rules, and may not land elsewhere except in emergencies and as the Implementing Regulations provide.
تستعمل الطائرات المطارات المدنية المعلن عنها، وعليها مراعاة الضوابط والقواعد الخاصة بذلك. ولا يجوز لها الهبوط في غير هذه المطارات المعلن عنها إلا في الحالات الا
- Article 38
The Authority sets the permitted noise level for aircraft using the Kingdom's airports, and the heights, speeds, engine capacities and other conditions that keep aircraft within that level.
تحدد الهيئة مستوى الضوضاء المسموح بها للطائرات التي تستخدم مطارات المملكة، كما تحدد ارتفاعات وسرعات الطائرات وقدرات محركاتها وخلاف ذلك من الشروط والمواصفات الكف
- Article 39
The Authority, in coordination with the relevant bodies, supervises workers at its airports to ensure compliance with airport rules and the smooth running of work, without prejudice to government bodies' jurisdiction.
مع عدم الإخلال بمباشرة الجهات الحكومية العاملة في المطارات لاختصاصاتها، تشرف الهيئة بالتنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة على العاملين في المطارات التابعة لها وذلك في
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.

