The Spanish airport Ciudad Real is cast in concrete as a negative example of the former airport proliferation in Spain. Now the “ghost airport” is to be given new life in the form of a Sabena Technics maintenance operation.

The airport was built for a whopping 1.1 billion euros. Even a high-speed rail link to the capital Madrid, 220 kilometers away, has been considered. However, shortly after opening, it became clear that Ciudad Real Airport was superfluous and was not accepted by the market. Despite the fact that there is a 4,100 meter long runway, regular air traffic was the exception rather than the norm.

This discrepancy between expectations and reality follows the airport’s bankruptcy and closure in 2012, just three years after it opened. The timing of its opening, right after Spain’s catastrophic economic crisis of 2008, meant that Ciudad Real International Airport soon became synonymous throughout Spain with the grand excesses of the pre-crisis era.

Sabena Technics’ project, which aims to service around 100 aircraft per year in Ciudad Real, contributes to this specialization. In this regard, Ciudad Real International Airport follows the example of other Spanish airports specialized in industrial and warehousing activities. However, it remains to be seen whether the location of the MRO operation will actually be implemented or not.

The article Sabena Technics is to settle at the « ghost airport » Ciudad Real first appeared on Aviation.Direct.