Prince Fahd bin Abdullah, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, has approved a list of penalties for airlines that violate rules and regulations.

The decision comes within instructions to transport pilgrims for the coming Haj season. Punishments include grounding planes that lack permits.

The GACA said the sanctions allow the agency to hold a plane at the airport if it doesn’t have a prior permit to transport pilgrims.

The sanctions include fining any carrier that doesn’t arrive or leave the Kingdom within a defined time span. Violating carriers will be fined SR10,000 for each landing plane and SR15,000 for each departing jet.

The sanction application system states the airline company should pay SR10,000 for each pilgrim on board a plane that arrives after the defined date of pilgrims’ arrival. If there are less than 100 pilgrims on board the delayed plane, the financial fine per air carrier will be SR100,000.

The system states that any flight that departs without a license will pay a fine of not less than SR20,000, and no more than SR100,000. Anyone who assists a pilgrims’ flight to depart without completing the necessary procedures will be fined a minimum of SR10,000 and a maximum of SR50,000.

The regulations state that pilgrim airline carriers and their agents should present a log. If the companies fail to present or delay the log, they will be fined a minimum of SR20,000, and a maximum of SR50,000 for each irregular flight.

According to the text, airline carriers, its agents and representatives in the Kingdom are responsible for implementing regulations and that they all will share fines.

Airline companies will not be allowed to operate Haj trips during the current season if they have any outstanding financial claims from previous Haj seasons until all claims are settled.

Airline carriers can file complaints against any ruling with the Committee for the Board of Grievances within 60 days of notification and in accordance with the executive list of pilgrims’ transportation to and from the Kingdom.