A symbol of troubled times. Giants are coming to this airport
It does not serve passengers, but it serves an important function. Teruel airport last week received the world’s largest passenger planes because of the war.
Due to the war in the Middle East, Gulf airlines have still not returned to daily operations. An expression of these difficulties is the transfer of aircraft to the European airport Teruel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became a parking lot for grounded planes.
Teruel Airport. Parking for troubled times
Teruel Airport is a former military base in the province of Aragon that has become synonymous with rural depopulation, known as the “Empty Spain” phenomenon. It does not handle passenger traffic, but serves as a base for aircraft maintenance and parking.
Although he usually takes only two a day, traffic has picked up significantly in the last week. Reuters reported that by the end of Saturday the airport will receive about 20 planes, including 17 of the Qatari airline Qatar Airways based in Doha. Among them is the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger jet. On Sunday, 5 more planes from this airline arrived in Spain.
Air France also made such a decision last week. On Friday, their Dreamliner, a Boeing 787-9, parked in Spain.
Why did Teruel airport become a base for planes?
Alejandro Ibrahim, general director of the terminal, noted that this is not a “typical situation”. “Airlines are adapting their fleets and routes and looking for safer places to park planes, and Europe perfectly meets these requirements,” he noted. He added that he also hopes for a quick end to the conflict, because machine maintenance is an important part of the airport’s operations.
Teruel airport can accommodate up to 250 wide-body and up to 400 narrow-body aircraft. The dry climate there reduces the risk of machinery corrosion.
Qatar Airways operates limited flights. Passengers with a confirmed booking with a travel date between February 28 and April 30, 2026 can apply for a refund or change of travel date.
