Article 77 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 77 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثالث: الحجز على الطائرات
The article requires disputes about the seizure of aircraft, and requests to lift a seizure, to be decided urgently.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يفصل بصفة مستعجلة في المنازعات المتعلقة بالحجز على الطائرات وطلبات رفعه.
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 77 explained in plain English
This is a short article but important in practice: it provides that disputes relating to the seizure of aircraft, and requests to lift a seizure, are decided urgently.
Why the urgency? An aircraft is a high-value asset, and grounding it causes large daily losses to the owner or operator, and may affect passengers and other parties. The creditor, too, needs to know quickly what will become of their security. For that reason the Law treats these disputes as urgent matters.
What does the rule cover?
- disputes relating to the seizure of aircraft in general;
- requests to lift the seizure.
The article sets no specific time limits and no special procedures, so one looks to the rules on urgent justice in the applicable procedural laws.
This article works together with the neighboring ones: Article 76 regulates recording the seizure in the register, and Article 78 makes the seizing party liable for damage if they seize in cases where it is not permitted, refuse a sufficient guarantee, or seize without a legitimate reason. Anyone who wants to have a seizure lifted from an aircraft or to contest one should consult a lawyer specializing in enforcement and civil aviation matters.
Practical example
A private airline's aircraft in Dammam is seized, and the airline believes it is one of the aircraft that may not be seized. It files a request to lift the seizure, and the request is heard urgently, not along the usual path for lawsuits.
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 77 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Are cases to lift the seizure of an aircraft heard quickly?
Yes. The article provides for urgent determination of disputes relating to the seizure of aircraft and requests to lift it.
Does the article set a time limit for deciding seizure disputes?
No. The article only provides for urgency, without specifying a time limit or particular procedures.
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 71
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.
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 ال
- 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
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.