Abha International Airport

{{Infobox airport

| name = Abha International Airport

| nativename = مطار أبها الدولي

| image =

| caption =

| IATA = AHB

| ICAO = OEAB

| type = Public

| owner = State

| operator = Government

| city-served = Abha / Khamis Mushait

| location = Asir Province, Saudi Arabia

| elevation-f = 6858

| elevation-m = 2090

| website = https://abha-airport.com

| coordinates = {{coord|18|14|25|N|042|39|24|E|region:SA|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Saudi Arabia

| pushpin_relief = yes

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Saudi Arabia

| pushpin_label = OEAB

| pushpin_label_position = right

| metric-rwy = y

| r1-number = 13/31

| r1-length-f = 10991

| r1-length-m = 3350

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| footnotes = Sources:{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130907081045/http://www.worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=OEAB Airport information for OEAB]}} from DAFIF (effective October 2006){{GCM|AHB|source=DAFIF}}

}}

Abha International Airport ({{langx|ar|مطار أبها الدولي}}, {{airport codes|AHB{{cite web|title=IATA Airport Code Search (AHB: Abha)|url=http://www.iata.org/publications/Pages/code-search.aspx|publisher=International Air Transport Association|access-date=7 September 2013}}|OEAB|p=n}}) is an airport in Abha, the capital of Asir Province in Saudi Arabia.

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.{{cite web|title=Abha Airport Airport|url=http://flights.idealo.co.uk/airport/Abha-AHB/|work=Idealo|access-date=22 September 2013}} The construction was carried out by Bin Trif Airport ltd.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-15 |title=Air Transport - SAFE Saudi Arabia for Elites |url=https://sa-fe.org/transport/air-transport/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |language=en-US}}

Facilities

The airport is located at an elevation of {{convert|6858|ft|0}} above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 13/31 with an asphalt surface measuring {{convert|3350|x|45|m|0}}.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights:

{{Airport destination list

| Air Arabia | Cairo, Sharjah

| Air Cairo | Cairo,{{cite web|title=AIR CAIRO ADDS ABHA SERVICE FROM DEC 2022|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/221114-smdec22ahb|website=aeroroutes.com|date=14 November 2022}} Sohag{{cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230421-smme|title=AIR CAIRO NS23 MIDDLE EAST NETWORK ADDITIONS|website=aeroroutes.com|date=21 April 2023}}

| Egyptair | Cairo

| Flyadeal | Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh{{cite web |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/276887/flyadeal-plans-abha-launch-in-feb-2018/ |title=flyadeal plans Abha launch in Feb 2018 |publisher=routesonline.com |date=26 February 2018}}

| Flydubai | Dubai–International

| Flynas | Al Baha, Bisha, Cairo,{{cite web|url=http://www.flynas.com/en/booking-flynas/route-map|title=Route Map – flynas.com|last=Flynas}} Dammam, Dubai–International,{{cite web|url=http://www.anna.aero/2017/11/30/flynas-adds-abha-dubai-operation/|title=flynas adds Abha to Dubai operation|date=30 November 2017}} Gassim,{{cite web|url=http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272897/flynas-adds-abha-gassim-service-from-late-may-2017/|title=flynas adds Abha – Gassim service from late-May 2017}} Jeddah, Jizan, Medina,{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Jim |title=flynas W19 network expansion |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/286340/flynas-w19-network-expansion/ |website=Routesonline |access-date=13 September 2019}} Riyadh, Sharurah, Wadi al-Dawasir{{cite web|url=http://www.flynas.com/en/booking-flynas/flight-schedule|title=Flight Schedule|last=Flynas}}

| {{nowrap|Jazeera Airways}} | Kuwait City{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Jim |title=Jazeera adds Abha service from Jan 2020 |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/287743/jazeera-adds-abha-service-from-jan-2020/ |website=Routesonline |access-date=26 November 2019}}

| Nesma Airlines | Cairo

| Nile Air | Cairo

| Qatar Airways | Doha{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240913-qrnw24sa|title=Qatar Airways expands Saudi Arabia service in NW24|website=aeroroutes.com|access-date=13 September 2024}}

| Saudia | Cairo, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Ta’if

}}

Statistics

Houthi attacks

The 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.{{Cite web|url=https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1763731/arab-coalition-says-houthi-terror-attack-targets-saudi-arabia%E2%80%99s-abha-airport|title=Arab Coalition Says Houthi Terror Attack Targets Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport|website=Asharq AL-awsat|access-date=2019-06-12}}

On 23 June 2019, the Houthis launched another attack on the airport, leaving a Syrian national dead and 21 injured.{{Cite web|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2019/06/23/Eight-injured-in-an-apparent-drone-attack-on-Saudi-Abha-airport.html|title=One killed, seven injured in Houthi attack on Saudi Abha airport|website=Al Arabiya|date=23 June 2019|access-date=2019-06-24}}

The airport was attacked again by missiles on 2 July 2019, leaving nine injured.[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/yemen-houthis-claim-attack-saudi-arabia-abha-airport-190702005421808.html Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi's Abha airport, injuring civilians]

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.{{cite web |title=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205155216/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-security-yemen/saudi-led-coalition-destroys-explosive-laden-drone-boat-launched-by-yemens-houthis-spa-idUKKBN25Q0TJ |archive-date=5 December 2020 |url-status=dead |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-security-yemen/saudi-led-coalition-destroys-explosive-laden-drone-boat-launched-by-yemens-houthis-spa-idUKKBN25Q0TJ}}

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){{cite web |title=World News |work=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412054323/https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-saudi-airport/update-1-saudi-coalition-says-houthis-attack-saudis-abha-airport-state-tv-idUSL1N2KG0XB |archive-date=12 April 2021 |url-status=live |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-saudi-airport/update-1-saudi-coalition-says-houthis-attack-saudis-abha-airport-state-tv-idUSL1N2KG0XB}} and starting a fire. A Houthi spokesman said the attack was in response to coalition airstrikes and other actions in Yemen.{{Cite news|author1=Ghantous, Ghaida |author2=Barrington, Lisa |editor1=Stonestreet, John |editor2=Heritage, Timothy |editor3=Richardson, Alex |date=2021-02-10|title=Yemen's Houthis say they carried out drone attack on Saudi airport|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi-airport-idUSKBN2AA1IG|access-date=2021-02-10}}

On 31 August 2021, the airport was again attacked by Houthi drones, leaving 8 wounded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/31/several-wounded-drone-attack-saudi-airport-houthis-yemen|title = Several wounded in a drone attack on Saudi airport: Coalition}}