Qatar Airways Grounds 20 Wide-Body Jets in Spanish Long-Term Storage as Regional Airspace Turmoil Persists

Qatar Airways has relocated 20 wide-body aircraft, including A380s, to long-term storage in Spain as the conflict in Iran disrupts regional flight operations.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 23, 2026, 9:35 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Strategic Fleet Withdrawal Amid Regional Military Escalation

The operational landscape for international aviation in the Persian Gulf has shifted dramatically as major carriers begin to shield their most valuable assets from regional instability. According to Asiye Latife Yilmaz of Anadolu Agency, Qatar Airways has successfully moved 20 of its wide-body aircraft to a specialized long-term storage facility in Teruel, Spain. This relocation signals a defensive posture by the state-owned carrier as the conflict enters a highly unpredictable phase, with much of the region’s traditional flight paths currently intersected by active combat zones.

Utilizing Specialized European Infrastructure for Preservation

Teruel Airport, situated in eastern Spain, was selected for its renowned capabilities in heavy maintenance and long-term storage under arid conditions. According to data from Flightradar24, the airline accelerated this process on Sunday by sending five additional jets to the facility. The contingent primarily consists of the fleet's "giants," including the double-decker Airbus A380, the advanced A350, and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner—aircraft that typically form the backbone of the airline's global connectivity through its Doha hub.

The Impact of Airspace Closures and Retaliatory Strikes

The decision to ground such a significant portion of the fleet is a direct consequence of the war in Iran, which has rendered vast swaths of Middle Eastern airspace nearly impassable for commercial traffic. Since the commencement of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, the region has been plagued by a cycle of drone and missile exchanges. Retaliatory strikes from Tehran have targeted several Gulf nations hosting U.S. military assets, creating a high-risk environment for expensive civilian airframes that rely on predictable, safe corridors.