Article 4 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 4 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: سيادة المملكة وسلطاتها
The Chicago Convention, its annexes and the other international civil aviation treaties the Kingdom has approved are an integral part of the Civil Aviation Law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تعد أحكام معاهدة شيكاغو وملاحقها وسائر المعاهدات الدولية للطيران المدني الأخرى التي وافقت المملكة عليها جزءا مكملا لهذا النظام.
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 4 explained in plain English
Civil aviation is international by nature, so this article ties the Saudi law to international rules. It provides that the following are an integral part of this law:
- The Chicago Convention.
- The annexes to the Chicago Convention.
- All other international civil aviation treaties, provided the Kingdom has approved them.
Being an integral part means they are read together with the law and applied alongside it, so matters the law does not spell out may be referred back to these treaties and their annexes. Treaties the Kingdom has not approved are not covered by this provision.
This provision comes after Article 3, which sets the scope of the law, and before Article 5, which makes the Authority the body responsible for all civil aviation affairs in the Kingdom. Together they complete the framework: a national law, international treaties that supplement it, and a competent body to apply it.
The article does not set out the content of the treaty or its annexes. Anyone who needs to know the effect of a particular treaty on their activity can consult a lawyer specializing in international law and aviation.
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 4 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Is the Chicago Convention part of Saudi law?
Yes. The provisions of the Chicago Convention and its annexes are an integral part of the Civil Aviation Law.
Does every international aviation treaty apply in Saudi Arabia?
The article covers the international civil aviation treaties that the Kingdom has approved.
More articles on Scope of the Civil Aviation Law and Airspace Sovereignty
- Article 2
The article provides that the Kingdom has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace within its territory.
للمملكة السيادة الكاملة والمطلقة على الفضاء الجوي داخل إقليمها.
- Article 3
The article defines the scope of the Civil Aviation Law: civil activities and airports in the Kingdom, aircraft registered in it, non-military state aircraft, and foreign aircraft on conditions.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على الآتي: 1 - أنشطة وعمليات الطيران المدني داخل إقليم المملكة . 2- المطارات المدنية ومرافق النقل الجوي وتأمين سلامة الطيران وأمن الطيران
- Article 5
The Authority is the body responsible for all civil aviation affairs in the Kingdom, including the wired and wireless communications services for flight safety and orderly air traffic.
الهيئة هي السلطة المسؤولة عن جميع شؤون الطيران المدني في المملكة بما في ذلك القيام بجميع خدمات الاتصالات السلكية واللاسلكية المتعلقة بتأمين سلامة الطيران وانتظا
- Article 80
The article applies the international technical regulations and standards in the Chicago Convention and its annexes, as adopted by the Kingdom, to aircraft airworthiness, to achieve the highest safety levels with regard to the environment.
مع مراعاة الأحكام الواردة في هذا الفصل تطبق الأنظمة والمقاييس الفنية الدولية الواردة في معاهدة شيكاغو وملاحقها التي اعتمدتها المملكة لتحقيق أعلى مستويات السلامة
- Article 98
The article sets the scope of the air operations part: Saudi aircraft operators, Saudi operators using foreign aircraft, and foreign operators inside the territory, as well as the people they employ and those on board.
مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (الثالثة) من هذا النظام تطبق الأحكام الواردة في هذا الباب على الآتي: 1 - العمليات الجوية التي يقوم بها مشغل طائرة مدنية مسجلة في المملكة
- Article 99
The operator of a civil aircraft registered in the Kingdom engaged in air transport or aerial work must observe the Law's provisions wherever the aircraft is, unless they conflict with the laws of the States where it operates.
مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (الرابعة) من هذا النظام؛ يجب على مشغل أي طائرة مدنية مسجلة في المملكة وتعمل في النقل الجوي أو الأشغال الجوية أن يراعي في تشغيلها أينما كا
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.