Due to the war in Iran, a dusty and remote rural airport in Spain has once again become a temporary parking lot for European airplanes. The ongoing conflict has forced countries to close their airspaces, leading airlines to reroute their flights.
The Teruel airport, located in eastern Spain, is typically used for aircraft maintenance in Europe. Its dry and salt-free conditions make it ideal for aircraft storage. During the two-plus years of the COVID pandemic, approximately 140 planes have been parked here.
With flight schedules disrupted by the Middle East conflict and aviation fuel supply facing risks, airlines have once again turned to this airport as a parking facility for aircraft.
According to Reuters, it is expected that by Saturday (March 21st), Teruel airport will receive around 20 aircraft, including 17 from Qatar Airways.
On Friday (March 20th), about 10 wide-body aircraft were scheduled to arrive at the airport, most of which were operated by Qatar Airways, including A380, A350, and Boeing 787 aircraft.
Teruel airport can accommodate up to 250 wide-body aircraft and as many as 400 narrow-body aircraft, making it one of the largest aircraft parking facilities in Europe.
The airport’s general manager, Alejandro Ibrahim, told Reuters, “We are playing a role as a haven and providing support for global aviation.”
He mentioned that since Teruel airport does not handle passenger flights, aircraft can be safely parked on the tarmac.
As the war continues, the airport operator cannot predict how many more aircraft will arrive.
“We can only adjust the plans weekly based on the situation, as the future is uncertain and entirely depends on the various companies… and the development of the situation in the coming months,” Ibrahim said.