The aircraft will return to Hamad International Airport “as soon as flight operations are restored to normal levels”.
Qatar Airways has temporarily positioned some of its aircraft at select airports outside Doha in response to the current regional situation, the airline told Doha News on Sunday.
“Due to the current exceptional circumstances in the region and the resulting disruption to flight operations beyond our control, Qatar Airways has positioned some of its aircraft at selected airports outside Qatar,” the airline said in a written statement to Doha News.
“This is a temporary measure, and the aircraft will be progressively returned to service as flight operations are restored to normal levels,” it added.
The airline said it could not provide further details on the number of aircraft parked abroad “due to the dynamic nature of the current operating environment”. It added that “aircraft positioning remains flexible and is assessed continuously based on operational needs”.
The aircraft will return to Hamad International Airport “as soon as flight operations are restored to normal levels”.
Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar and media reports indicated that Qatar Airways has parked aircraft at Teruel Airport in eastern Spain, a major storage and maintenance facility.
Five Qatar Airways aircraft landed there on Sunday, following earlier reports that 15 were already on the ground, bringing the total to 20, according to data compiled from FlightRadar.
Teruel Airport, which can accommodate up to 250 wide-body and 400 narrow-body aircraft, served as a major storage site during the Covid-19 pandemic, at one point holding 140 planes as global aviation was severely disrupted.
Teruel Airport’s General Manager, Alejandro Ibrahim, told Reuters on Friday that companies were “revising their fleets and routes and looking for safer places to park their planes, and Europe fits the bill”.
“We’ve acted as a refuge and supported global air transport,” Ibrahim said. “We’re working week to week because there’s no clear horizon and it really depends on the companies…how this could all develop in the coming months.”
“What we would like is for (the conflict) to end, because our important business is aircraft maintenance. The more planes fly, the greater activity our airport has,” Ibrahim added.
The war began on 28 February when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran, triggering a wider escalation that has disrupted regional aviation. Airlines have cancelled, delayed or rerouted flights as a result.
Qatar temporarily closed its airspace at the start of the war, with Qatar Airways operating limited flights coordinated with the Civil Aviation Authority.
“Qatar Airways continues to closely monitor the situation, with safety for its passengers and crews remaining the airline’s highest priority. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace,” the airline said in its statement to Doha News.