Kandara Airport (IATA: XZF) was the first airport of Saudia Arabia located within Jeddah. It was the original airport serving the cities Jeddah and Meccah in the kingdom before the construction of King Abdulaziz International Airport. It also operated the 8 wing of the RSAF. The airport handled Haji traffic alongside regular scheduled flights.[1][2]
In 1946, Saudia was set up as an agency of the Ministry of Defense in Kandara Airport.[3] In 1958, the airport served as the headquarters for the Royal Saudi Air Force.[4]F-101 Fighter jets and the B-57C operated at the airport alongside the C-54 and C-124 aircraft for military cargo operations.[4]
In 1971, Kandara Airport was fitted with a new runway parallel to the pre-existing 15/33 runway.[3] In May 1981, the completion of King Abdulaziz International Airport led to the closure of Kandara Airport. The site of the former airport was later redeveloped for housing.[5]
An image of Jeddah in February 1956 including the former Kandara Airport.
Kandara Airport was located in the neighborhood of Kandara, close to the city center. This proximity limited the airport's ability to expand infrastructure. Due to Kandara Airport's deficient capacity, it experienced heavy congestion during Haji seasons peaking 600 aircraft movements per day.[1][6]
Before the 1960s, the airfield originally had two asphalt runways 15/33 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide (1048 and 46 m) E/W 6,000 feet long and 150 feet wide (1828 and 46 m). In 1971, a second runway was constructed alongside runway 15/33. [4]
