Qatar Airways is using Teruel Airport (TEV), a remote airport in rural Spain, to park its aircraft amid the war in the Middle East. Apart from the 17 Qatar Airways aircraft, three more aircraft from other airlines parked at the Spanish airport on March 21, Saturday.
A parking lot for airplanes
The remote Spanish airport was known for serving as an aircraft park during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The state-owned facility is located in Aragon Province, eastern Spain, and was used as a military base in the past. It can handle the operation of two aircraft per day.
Around 140 planes were parked at the Teruel Airport during the pandemic period of over two years. One of the main reasons for airlines to choose this airport is its dry and salt-free climate.
After six years, Teruel has welcomed flights to its base following several Middle Eastern countries closing their airspace. The airport is one of the largest aircraft maintenance and storage sites in Europe.
Qatar Airways at Teruel Airport
A Qatar Airways A350 and a Boeing 787 had landed in Teruel following an A380 from London, which landed on the morning of March 20.
Though there are no official statements from the airline, a few of the pilots and crew were seen leaving the airport.
Alejandro Ibrahim, general manager of the airport terminal, said,
“Companies are revising their fleets and routes and looking for safer places to park their planes, and Europe fits the bill.”
The Teruel airport has the capacity to park 250 wide-body flights and up to 400 narrow-body flights. As the airport doesn’t operate passenger flights, the flights can be stationed on the tarmac without any issues.
How do you see this move from the airlines to park their aircraft in a remote airport? Tell us in the comments.
