Article 79 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 79 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثالث: الحجز على الطائرات
An aircraft may not be seized in enforcement of a debt until enforcement procedures against the debtor's other assets in the Kingdom are exhausted and shown to be insufficient.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز إجراء الحجز التنفيذي على طائرة وفاء لدين واجب الأداء إلا بعد استيفاء جميع إجراءات الحجز التنفيذي على أموال المدين الأخرى الموجودة في المملكة وثبوت عدم كفايتها للوفاء بديون الدائن أو الدائنين.
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 79 explained in plain English
The Law distinguishes between precautionary seizure, which aims to ground the aircraft to secure a right, and enforcement seizure, which aims to recover a due debt from the value of the aircraft. This article places an important restriction on enforcement seizure.
The rule: Enforcement seizure may not be carried out on an aircraft in satisfaction of a due debt unless two things are both met:
- all enforcement seizure procedures against the debtor's other assets in the Kingdom have been exhausted;
- it is shown that they are insufficient to pay the debts of the creditor or creditors.
In other words, the aircraft comes last in the order of the debtor's assets to be enforced against: the creditor starts with the debtor's other assets in the Kingdom, such as accounts, real estate and movables, and resorts to the aircraft only if those assets do not suffice.
The reasoning is that an aircraft is often an essential operating tool on which the debtor's activity depends, and grounding or selling it harms air transport and the interests of other parties. This article follows Article 78, which makes the seizing party liable for damage if they seize in cases where it is not permitted or without a legitimate reason. A creditor seeking enforcement against a debtor who owns aircraft, or a debtor facing enforcement, is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in enforcement matters.
Practical example
A supplier obtains a judgment for a debt against a small airline in Jeddah and asks for enforcement seizure of one of its aircraft directly. This is not allowed until enforcement has been carried out against the company's other assets in the Kingdom, such as its bank balances and equipment, and it is shown that they do not suffice to pay the debt.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentEnforcement of Judgments lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Enforcement of Judgments lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
المشنوي للمحاماة والاستشارات القانونية
Lawyers, Notaries, and Legal Consultants
Frequently asked questions about Article 79 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Can enforcement be carried out directly against an aircraft to pay a debt?
No. Enforcement seizure procedures against the debtor's other assets in the Kingdom must first be exhausted and shown to be insufficient.
Does the condition include the debtor's assets outside the Kingdom?
The text speaks of the debtor's other assets that are in the Kingdom.
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.