Qatar Airways Sends A330 To Storage

Qatar Airways is accelerating the withdrawal of its Airbus A330 fleet, sending multiple aircraft into deep long-term storage in Spain’s remote Teruel Airport.

The move from. The Dohba-based carrier is a direct consequence of the Iran conflict, which has, in the last few months, reshaped how aviation is handled across the Middle East.

Why The A330s Are Heading To Spain

In recent days, at least four Qatar Airways Airbus A330s have been ferried from Doha to Teruel, a high-desert facility that allows airlines to store their aircraft for the long term and, at times, position jets for a part-out.

The move aligns with an ongoing strategy to see the airline retire its Airbus A330 fleet in the coming years, thanks to the delivery of new next-generation aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.

However, with the emergence of conflict in the Middle East and the direct consequences for the airline’s international network and the many planes that have remained on the ground, the airline has fast-tracked that timeline for the time being.

As Gulf airspace has been significantly affected, Qatar’s schedule has been slashed, with it now operating at a fraction of its previous levels and less fuel-efficient widebody aircraft finding themselves more than ever surplus to requirements.

Conflict Pushes Aircraft Into Storage

The conflict has now turned Teruel and similar, more remote airfields back into makeshift parking lots, echoing what was seen during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as airlines seek safe, dry locations for their planes not in use, away from possible strike zones.

Reuters reports that the Spanish site is now again filling with widebodies rerouted from the Middle East, including up to 17 aircraft from Qatar Airways alone, along with other aircraft from European and Latin American carriers.

With long-haul demand now disrupted and the war continuing to rage, it is not expected to improve; if anything worsens, services around the world have been disrupted, whether forcing capacity cuts or all-out suspensions.

Airlines, in response to this and rising fuel prices, will look to reduce the use of older, less efficient aircraft in favour of newer, more efficient models that improve the bottom line in an already complicated operating environment expected to worsen.

What Does Qatar Airways’ Fleet Data Say?

Fleet data at Qatar Airways shows just how bad the situation has been for the Doha-based carrier, with its 270-strong fleet having just shy of 150 aircraft operational at this point.

Based on that same data, the airlines’ 15 Airbus A330s have been split significantly, with just 5 units remaining active and ten listed as in storage. The same can be felt across many other aircraft types.

The airline has more Airbus A350s parked than active, with 34 jets on the ground. Half of the airline’s Airbus A380 fleet is also on the ground, leaving just four models active, which is a decision that makes much sense when most of the network remains suspended to an extent.

The groundings take no prisoners, with the airlines’ Boeing 787 fleet also parked. The 58 delivered units see only 30 models still in the air, according to the latest data, which changes by the day as the situation in the Middle East evolves.