Article 35 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 35 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الأول: إنشاء المطارات وإدارتها واستعمالها
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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، ويجوز لها الترخيص لغيرها للقيام بكل هذه الأعمال أو بعضها، على أن يتم ذلك وفقًا لما تقرره الأنظمة والتعليمات في هذا الخصوص وبما لا يؤثر على أمن وسلامة الطيران المدني.
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 35 explained in plain English
This article sets out who manages the Authority's airports, and opens the door to participation by others.
The basic rule: the Authority takes charge of:
- Managing the airports belonging to it.
- Supervising their operation and maintenance.
- Setting the rules of work in them.
Licensing others: the Authority may license others to do all or part of this work, on two conditions:
- That this is done in accordance with what the laws and instructions provide on the matter.
- That it does not affect civil aviation security and safety.
Link to Article 16: the provision applies subject to paragraph 5 of Article 16, which makes it one of the Authority's powers to identify the services and infrastructure that can be privatized or in which the private sector can be involved, and to have them approved by the competent authority. Involving others in managing airports therefore goes through this identification and approval.
This article comes after Article 34, which treats the Authority's airports as public utilities, and before Article 36, under which the Authority determines airport types and categories. Anyone wishing to enter an airport operation project can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases and partnership contracts.
Practical example
The competent body considered that operating a regional airport could be assigned to the private sector, as identified by the Authority and approved by the competent authority. The Authority may license a specialized company to operate and maintain the airport in accordance with the laws and instructions, without affecting civil aviation security and safety.
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 35 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Can a private company operate an airport in Saudi Arabia?
The Authority may license others to do all or part of the work of managing, operating and maintaining airports, in accordance with the laws and instructions and without affecting aviation security and safety.
Who sets the working rules in airports?
The Authority sets the working rules for the airports belonging to it.
Articles this article refers to
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 34
Airports, facilities, buildings, equipment, wired and wireless stations and beacons belonging to the Authority are public utilities.
تعد المطارات والمنشآت والمباني والأجهزة والمعدات والمحطات السلكية واللاسلكية والمنارات التابعة للهيئة من المرافق العامة .
- 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.