• The following terms and phrases - wherever they appear in this statute - shall have the meanings indicated next to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Kingdom: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• Authority: General Authority of Civil Aviation.

• Statute: Statute of the Authority.

• Minister: Minister of Transport and Logistics Services.

• Council: Board of Directors of the Authority.

• President: President of the Authority.

• Civil Aviation: All matters related to aviation, except military aviation.

• Territory of the Kingdom: The land territories, territorial sea of the Kingdom, and the airspace above them.

The Authority enjoys public legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the Minister. Its main headquarters is in the city of Riyadh, and it may establish branches within the Kingdom, or offices inside or outside the Kingdom as needed.

The authority aims to regulate and develop the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom, monitor its performance, prepare it to attract private sector investments, and develop and grow the air transport industry in the Kingdom's region, in alignment with the national strategy for transport and logistics services.

• The Authority, in order to achieve its objectives - without prejudice to the competencies of other relevant entities - shall exercise the following competencies and perform the following tasks:

• 1- Formulating policies and strategies and preparing laws and regulations related to the civil aviation sector, and submitting what requires completion of legal procedures in this regard.

• 2- Monitoring the operation of airports and civil airstrips, and ensuring the compliance of airlines, airports, and companies operating in the civil aviation sector with the laws, regulations, and standards related to the civil aviation sector, implementing the civil aviation strategy, and ensuring business sustainability.

• 3- Issuing licenses, permits, certificates, approvals, and accreditations related to civil aviation.

• 4- Establishing security procedures and standards related to civil aviation and monitoring their application, in accordance with local and international requirements and developments, and in coordination with relevant entities.

• 5- Deciding on requests to engage in mediation activities related to the civil aviation sector, according to the procedures set by the Authority.

• 6- Issuing permits for scheduled, chartered, and private flights, including military and diplomatic flights, according to the regulations and procedures set by the Authority.

• 7- Deciding on requests to provide consultancy services related to the civil aviation sector according to the procedures set by the Authority.

• 8- Establishing unified standards for smart airports and communication technologies to improve and enrich passenger experiences, ensuring the application of best global and local practices without compromising information and data security in the civil aviation field, in coordination with the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission.

• 9- Organizing environmental protection programs in the civil aviation field, and supervising them - in coordination with relevant entities - in line with local and international standards.

• 10- Approving contracts between the licensed airport operator and external parties, for safety, security, facilities, and service quality standards; without prejudice to the relevant laws and regulations.

• 11- Supervising the management of the use of licensed air communication frequencies for use in the civil aviation field, according to the regulations set by the Authority, and coordinating with relevant entities in this regard.

• 12- Issuing a guide for Saudi aviation, containing necessary aviation information for air navigation in the Kingdom's territory, and issuing civil aviation information bulletins.

• 13- Coordinating with relevant entities to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation in the Kingdom's territory.

• 14- Defining terms related to the civil aviation sector, without prejudice to what is stated in international treaties and agreements related to civil aviation that the Kingdom has ratified.

• 15- Taking necessary measures to implement international treaties and agreements related to civil aviation that the Kingdom has ratified.

• 16- Approving commercial agreements and arrangements concluded between national or foreign air carriers, when operating from and to the Kingdom's territory, taking into account economic, social, and security aspects, in accordance with the provisions of international treaties and agreements related to civil aviation that the Kingdom has ratified.

• 17- Concluding agreements, memorandums of understanding, and protocols related to civil aviation, according to the legal procedures followed.

• 18- Representing the Kingdom in regional and international organizations and committees related to civil aviation, according to the legal procedures followed.

• 19- Organizing exhibitions and conferences and holding scientific seminars and workshops related to civil aviation, according to the legal procedures followed.

• 20- Conducting technical investigations into civil aviation accidents and incidents, without prejudice to the competencies of the National Transport Safety Center.

• 1- The authority shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister, and membership of each of the following:

  • A- The President.

  • B- No more than (five) representatives from government entities.

  • C- No more than (three) individuals from the private sector.

• 2- The rank of the government representatives referred to in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this article shall not be less than the (fourteenth) rank or its equivalent.

• 3- The President of the Council shall submit to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs matters related to determining the government entities referred to in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this article, in preparation for an order to be issued by the President of the Council of Ministers.

• 4- The appointment of the individuals referred to in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of this article shall be issued by an order from the President of the Council of Ministers based on a proposal from the President of the Council.

• 5- Except for the President of the Council and the President, the term of membership in the Council shall be (three) years, renewable for a similar term and for one time only.

• 6- The President of the Council may delegate someone he deems fit to chair the Council - in his absence - from the government representatives referred to in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this article.

• The council supervises the management of the authority's affairs and conducts its business, making all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives within the provisions of the statute, and in particular, it has the following:

• 1- Approving policies and strategies related to the authority's competencies, and approving the necessary plans and programs for their implementation, in preparation for submitting what requires completion of statutory procedures.

• 2- Proposing draft laws related to the authority's competencies, and proposing amendments to the existing ones, in preparation for submitting them to complete the statutory procedures followed.

• 3- Approving the organizational structure of the authority.

• 4- Approving the financial and administrative regulations that the authority follows, and other necessary internal and technical regulations for conducting its affairs, provided that the approval of administrative regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the approval of financial regulations and provisions with financial impact in other regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.

• 5- Approving the establishment of branches and offices for the authority.

• 6- Reviewing periodic reports submitted on the progress of work in the authority and taking necessary actions regarding them.

• 7- Approving the authority's budget project, its final account, the auditor's report, and its annual report; in preparation for their approval according to the statutory procedures followed.

• 8- Determining the financial compensation for the services and works provided by the authority that the council deems necessary to charge for.

• 9- Approving the investment of the authority's funds in a manner that achieves its objectives, according to the statutory mechanisms and procedures followed.

• 10- Approving the conclusion of agreements, memorandums of understanding, protocols, and contracts, according to the statutory procedures followed.

• 11- Accepting donations, gifts, grants, bequests, and endowments, in accordance with the regulations governing that.

• 12- Appointing an external auditor and an internal financial controller.

• The council may delegate some of its competencies - except for the competencies mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) and (3) and (4) and (5) and (6) and (7) and (8) and (9) of this article - to the chairman of the council or to any of its members or to the authority's staff.

• The council may form permanent or temporary committees from its members or others, and delegate some of its competencies to them or assign them tasks as it deems appropriate. The decision to form each committee shall specify its chairman, members, secretary, and competencies. The committee may seek assistance from whomever it deems necessary to perform the delegated competencies and assigned tasks.

• 1- The Council meetings are held at the Authority, and may, if necessary, be held at another location within the Kingdom.

• 2- The Council meets - based on an invitation from the Chairman of the Council or his delegate - at least once every (three) months, and whenever necessary as determined by the Chairman of the Council, or at the request of at least (one-third) of its members.

• 3- The Council meeting is valid with the presence of at least the majority of its members, including the Chairman of the Council or his delegate, and decisions are issued by a majority of the votes of those present at least, and in the case of a tie, the side with which the Chairman of the meeting voted prevails.

• 4- The Council may - when necessary, and as determined by its Chairman - hold meetings and vote on recommendations and decisions remotely through the use of technology. Recommendations and decisions can be made by circulating them among the members, and they are signed to indicate that all members have reviewed them. Recommendations and decisions issued in this manner are not considered valid unless they are circulated to all members, voted on, and receive at least a majority of their votes. This decision is presented to the Council at the first subsequent meeting to be recorded in the meeting minutes.

• 5- The Council's deliberations, recommendations, and decisions are recorded in minutes signed by the Chairman of the meeting and the members present. The Council's meetings, deliberations, agenda, recommendations, decisions, and minutes are kept completely confidential.

• 6- A member may not abstain from voting, nor delegate another member to vote on his behalf in his absence. A dissenting member may record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the Council meeting minutes.

• 7- The Council may invite whomever it deems appropriate from government or private entities or specialists and consultants to attend the meetings, without having the right to vote.

• The Council shall have a secretary from among the members or others chosen by the Chairman of the Council, who shall undertake the secretariat of the Council, prepare for meetings, record minutes, deliberations, decisions, and recommendations, and communicate them.

• The authority shall have a president who is appointed and dismissed by a decision of the council, which also determines his salary and other financial benefits. He is considered the primary person responsible for managing the affairs of the authority, and his responsibilities and powers are concentrated within the limits stipulated by the statute and as decided or delegated by the council. In particular, he has the following powers:

• 1- Supervising the workflow in the authority according to the approved policies, strategies, plans, and programs.

• 2- Proposing the authority's policies and strategies, and the necessary plans and programs for their implementation, and submitting them to the council for approval.

• 3- Proposing the organizational structure of the authority and submitting it to the council for approval.

• 4- Supervising the preparation of financial, administrative, and other internal and technical regulations necessary for the management of the authority's affairs, submitting them to the council for approval, and supervising their implementation after approval.

• 5- Supervising the preparation of the authority's budget project, final account, and annual report, and submitting them to the council in preparation for completing the necessary procedures regarding them.

• 6- Disbursing from the authority's budget and taking all financial procedures according to the laws and regulations and within the powers delegated to him by the council.

• 7- Appointing the authority's employees according to the regulations governing this, and supervising them.

• 8- Contracting with experts, consultants, and consulting firms within the objectives of the authority and according to what the regulations specify.

• 9- Issuing the necessary decisions to implement the provisions contained in the statute and the regulations issued based on it, according to the powers granted to him.

• 10- Contracting to execute works and services and others, according to the laws and regulations and within the powers delegated to him by the council.

• 11- Preparing periodic reports on the authority's work, achievements, and activities, and submitting them to the council in preparation for completing the necessary procedures regarding them.

• 12- Approving the dispatch and training of the authority's employees according to the regulations governing this.

• 13- Signing agreements, memorandums of understanding, and protocols after the council's approval, or according to the powers granted to him, and according to the legal procedures followed.

• 14- Representing the authority before judicial, administrative, and other entities inside and outside the Kingdom. He may delegate others in this regard.

• 15- Any other task assigned to him by the council.

• The president may delegate some of his powers to whomever he deems appropriate from the authority's employees.

• 1- The resources of the Authority consist of the following:

  • A- What is allocated to it in the state's general budget.

  • B- The financial compensation it charges for the services and works it provides, and the licenses, permits, certificates, approvals, and accreditations it issues.

  • C- Returns on its investments.

  • D- What the Council accepts in terms of donations, gifts, grants, bequests, and endowment revenues, in accordance with the regulations governing that.

  • E- Any other resource approved by the Council that does not violate regulations and instructions.

• 2- All revenues of the Authority are deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.

• 3- The Authority opens an account for itself at the Saudi Central Bank, and it may open other accounts in any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and disbursements from these accounts are made in accordance with the Authority's budget and its financial and administrative regulations.