Abha International Airport (Arabic: مطار أبها الدولي, IATA: AHB[3], ICAO: OEAB) is an airport in Abha, the capital of 'Asir Province in Saudi Arabia.
Abha International Airport مطار أبها الدولي | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | State | ||||||||||
| Operator | Government | ||||||||||
| Serves | Abha / Khamis Mushait | ||||||||||
| Location | 'Asir Province, Saudi Arabia | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 6,858 ft / 2,090 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 18°14′25″N 042°39′24″E / 18.24028°N 42.65667°E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  OEAB Location of airport in Saudi Arabia | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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The airport has services to several domestic airports within the Kingdom. It also offers international flights to Aden and Sanaa in Yemen, Cairo in Egypt, Doha in Qatar, and nonstop flights to Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE.
The site was a new construction area between the cities of Khamis Mushait and Abha, and served both equally. Construction of the airport started in mid-1975 by Laing Wimpey Alireza. Earlier, domestic flights had been handled at the military airport near Khamis Mushait. The airport became operational in 1977.[4] The construction was carried out by Bin Trif Airport ltd.[5]
Facilities
editThe airport resides at an elevation of 6,858 feet (2,090 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 13/31 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,350 by 45 metres (10,991 ft × 148 ft).[1]
Airlines and destinations
editThe following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Arabia | Cairo, Sharjah |
| Air Cairo | Cairo,[6] Sohag[7] |
| Egyptair | Cairo |
| flyadeal | Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh[8] |
| flydubai | Dubai–International |
| Flynas | Al Baha, Bisha, Cairo,[9] Dammam, Dubai–International,[10] Gassim,[11] Jeddah, Jizan, Khartoum (suspended),[12] Medina,[12] Riyadh, Sharurah,[9] Wadi al-Dawasir[13] |
| Jazeera Airways | Kuwait[14] |
| Nesma Airlines | Cairo |
| Nile Air | Cairo |
| Qatar Airways | Doha (resumes 2 January 2025)[15] |
| Saudia | Cairo, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Ta’if |
Statistics
editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Houthi attacks
editThe airport has been frequently targeted in missile or drone attacks by Houthi forces during the Yemeni civil war.
It was initially attacked by the Yemeni Houthi movement on 12 June 2019, injuring 26 people.[16]
On 23 June 2019, the Houthis launched another attack on the airport, leaving a Syrian national dead and 21 injured.[17]
The airport was attacked again by missiles on 2 July 2019, leaving nine injured.[18]
Another attack against the airport by Houthi forces occurred on 31 August 2020, when a bomb-laden drone was detected flying to it and intercepted, along with a remotely controlled boat off the Red Sea, which was also filled with explosives and ready for an attack.[19]
On 10 February 2021, Houthis used four drones to carry out a drone strike on the airport, damaging a civilian aircraft (a Flyadeal Airbus A320)[20] and starting a fire. A Houthi spokesman said the attack was in response to coalition airstrikes and other actions in Yemen.[21]
On 31 August 2021, the airport was again attacked by Houthi drones, leaving 8 wounded.[22]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Airport information for OEAB[usurped] from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
- ^ Airport information for AHB at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
- ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (AHB: Abha)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
- ^ "Abha Airport Airport". Idealo. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ "Air Transport - SAFE Saudi Arabia for Elites". 15 April 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "AIR CAIRO ADDS ABHA SERVICE FROM DEC 2022". aeroroutes.com. 14 November 2022.
- ^ "AIR CAIRO NS23 MIDDLE EAST NETWORK ADDITIONS". aeroroutes.com. 21 April 2023.
- ^ "flyadeal plans Abha launch in Feb 2018". routesonline.com. 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b Flynas. "Route Map – flynas.com".
- ^ "flynas adds Abha to Dubai operation". 30 November 2017.
- ^ "flynas adds Abha – Gassim service from late-May 2017".
- ^ a b Liu, Jim. "flynas W19 network expansion". Routesonline. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ^ Flynas. "Flight Schedule".
- ^ Liu, Jim. "Jazeera adds Abha service from Jan 2020". Routesonline. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Qatar Airways expands Saudi Arabia service in NW24". aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "Arab Coalition Says Houthi Terror Attack Targets Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport". Asharq AL-awsat. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "One killed, seven injured in Houthi attack on Saudi Abha airport". Al Arabiya. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi's Abha airport, injuring civilians
- ^ "Reuters". Archived from the original on 5 December 2020.
- ^ "World News". Reuters. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021.
- ^ Ghantous, Ghaida; Barrington, Lisa (10 February 2021). Stonestreet, John; Heritage, Timothy; Richardson, Alex (eds.). "Yemen's Houthis say they carried out drone attack on Saudi airport". Reuters. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Several wounded in a drone attack on Saudi airport: Coalition".
External links
edit- Aeronautical chart and airport information for OEAB at SkyVector
- Current weather for OEAB at NOAA/NWS
- Accident history for AHB at Aviation Safety Network