The airport has services to several domestic airports within the Kingdom. It also offers international flights toAden andSanaa inYemen,Cairo inEgypt,Doha inQatar, and nonstop flights toDubai andSharjah in theUAE.
The site was a new construction area between the cities ofKhamis Mushait andAbha, 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]
The airport is located at anelevation of 6,858 feet (2,090 m) abovemean sea level. It has onerunway designated 13/31 with anasphalt surface measuring 3,350 by 45 metres (10,991 ft × 148 ft).[1]
On 23 June 2019, the Houthis launched another attack on the airport, leaving aSyrian national dead and 21 injured.[25]
The airport was attacked again by missiles on 2 July 2019, leaving nine injured.[26]
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 theRed Sea, which was also filled with explosives and ready for an attack.[27]
On 10 February 2021,Houthis used four drones to carry out adrone strike on the airport, damaging a civilian aircraft (aFlyadeal Airbus A320)[28] and starting a fire. A Houthi spokesman said the attack was in response tocoalitionairstrikes and other actions inYemen.[29]
On 31 August 2021, the airport was again attacked by Houthi drones, leaving 8 wounded.[30]
