Article 71 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 71 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثالث: الحجز على الطائرات
The article defines a precautionary seizure of an aircraft as any act that grounds the aircraft for a private interest through the courts or competent authorities, and gives the Authority the right to ground it for unpaid fees.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقصد بالحجز التحفظي في مفهوم هذا الفصل: كل تصرف أيًّا كانت تسميته يتم بمقتضاه وقف الطائرة رعاية لمصلحة خاصة عن طريق القضاء أو السلطات المختصة لصالح الدائن أو المالك أو صاحب الحق العيني على الطائرة ، وللهيئة حق وقف الطائرة في حال عدم دفع الرسوم المتوجبة عليها في 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 71 explained in plain English
This article, in the third chapter on the seizure of aircraft, sets out the meaning of "precautionary seizure" for the purposes of this chapter.
Elements of the definition:
- Any act, whatever it is called, so what counts is the effect, not the name.
- It results in grounding the aircraft, that is, preventing it from moving or operating.
- It is done to protect a private interest.
- It is carried out through the courts or the competent authorities.
- In favor of a creditor, the owner or the holder of a real right over the aircraft.
The Authority's power: The article gives the General Authority of Civil Aviation the right to ground an aircraft if the fees due on it in the Kingdom are not paid.
Article 72 follows to complete the picture: it excludes from the scope of this chapter the precautionary measures in bankruptcy proceedings and those taken for violation of this Law, the customs or penal laws, or the security rules, and the following articles of the chapter then deal with the detailed seizure rules. Anyone who wants to seize an aircraft or faces a seizure of one is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in enforcement and civil aviation matters.
Practical example
A maintenance company in Jeddah repaired a private aircraft and was not paid for the repair, so it went to court to have the aircraft grounded to secure its right. This is a precautionary seizure for the purposes of this chapter, whatever name the competent authority's decision gives it.
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 71 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
What is meant by a precautionary seizure of an aircraft?
Any act, whatever it is called, under which the aircraft is grounded for a private interest through the courts or the competent authorities, in favor of a creditor, the owner or the holder of a real right.
Can the Civil Aviation Authority ground an aircraft for unpaid fees?
Yes. The Authority has the right to ground an aircraft if the fees due on it in the Kingdom are not paid.
Who benefits from a precautionary seizure of an aircraft?
The creditor, the owner or the holder of a real right over the aircraft.
More articles on Attaching Aircraft
- Article 62
Where an aircraft is attached or sold by force, creating or transferring Article 56 rights is not recognized if the debtor did so knowing of the proceedings and intending to harm the attaching creditor, the enforcing party or the buyer.
في حالة توقيع الحجز ، أو إجراء البيع الجبري لطائرة ، أو أي حق عليها؛ لا يجوز الاعتراف بإنشاء أو بنقل أي من الحقوق الواردة في الفقرة (1) من المادة (السادسة والخم
- Article 63
A forced sale of an aircraft follows the procedures of the laws in force and the Implementing Regulations; a sale breaching them can be annulled within six months, and the buyer takes ownership free of all rights.
1 - إذا تقرر بيع الطائرة جبريًّا في المملكة لتسديد الديون المستحقة عليها؛ فإن إجراءات البيع الجبري تتم وفقا للإجراءات التي تحددها الأحكام والأنظمة المطبقة في ال
- Article 65
A forced sale of an aircraft also covers the spare parts seized with it; the article governs auctioning them at two-thirds of value where the seizing creditor's debt has no security interest, and distributing the proceeds.
1- إذا تقرر بيع الطائرة جبريًّا وفقًا للمادة (الثالثة والستين) من هذا النظام فإن هذا البيع يشمل قطع الغيار المحجوز عليها، ويتم نقل ملكيتها للمشتري الجديد. 2- إذ
- Article 72
The article excludes from the seizure chapter the precautionary measures in bankruptcy proceedings and those taken for violating this Law, the customs or penal laws, or the security rules.
لا تسري أحكام هذا الفصل على الإجراءات التحفظية الخاصة بدعاوى الإفلاس، ولا على الإجراءات التحفظية التي تتخذ عند مخالفة أحكام هذا النظام، أو الأنظمة الجمركية ، أو
- Article 73
The article bars precautionary seizure of non-commercial State-service aircraft, scheduled-service aircraft and their indispensable spares, and commercial aircraft about to depart, except for a debt tied to the flight.
1 - لا يوقع الحجز التحفظي على ما يأتي : أ - الطائرات المخصصة لخدمة الدولة، ويستثنى من ذلك ما خصص لخدمة التجارة. ب - الطائرات المستخدمة فعلا وبصورة مطلقة على خط
- Article 74
The article allows a precautionary seizure of an aircraft to be prevented or lifted at once by providing a sufficient guarantee covering the debt and expenses, or the aircraft's value if that is higher.
1- في الحالة التي لا يكون فيها الحجز التحفظي على الطائرة محظورًا أو لا يجوز فيها توقيع الحجز ، ولم يدفع المشغل بعدم جواز مثل هذا الحجز ؛ فإن تقديم كفالة كافية ي
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.