How Teruel Airport in Spain became a global hub for grounded aircraft
Qatar Airways has begun stationing part of its fleet in Spain as the ongoing war in the Middle East and Gulf continues to seriously disrupt aviation.
According to flight tracking site Flightradar24, around 20 Qatar Airways planes have now been transferred to Teruel Airport in eastern Spain, a public facility known as one of the largest aircraft maintenance and storage sites in Europe.
The move reflects the airline’s reduced flying schedule, with fewer aircraft needed as airspace restrictions limit operations from its hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport.
In a statement, Qatar Airways told Doha News: “Due to the current exceptional circumstances in the region and the resulting disruptions to flight operations beyond our control, Qatar Airways has positioned some of its aircraft at selected airports outside Qatar.
“This is a temporary measure, and aircraft will gradually be returned to service as flight operations return to normal levels.”
Teruel is a “small” isolated airport in the Spanish countryside, the Independent said, and previously served as a “major parking lot for grounded planes during the Covid-19 pandemic”, when it accommodated around 140 planes.
Situated between several major cities – including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza and Bilbao – Teruel is a base for aviation industrial development and is considered one of Europe’s largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sites.
Spread over 540 hectares, the airport has a runway length of 2,825 meters and a parking capacity of 400 aircraft.
Qatar’s decision to relocate some of its planes comes amid one of the most significant disruptions to global aviation in recent years.
Since the escalation of the war in Iran in late February, airspace over much of the Gulf has been partially or completely closed following missile and drone attacks.
Key regional corridors connecting Europe, Asia and Africa have been heavily impacted, forcing airlines to cancel flights, reroute planes and absorb higher fuel costs.
Industry estimates suggest thousands of flights have been canceled across the region, with major hubs such as Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi affected.
Qatar Airways is currently offering a revised limited schedule until March 28 for flights to and from Hamad International Airport.
