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The private jet of the emir of Qatar is so large that it altered air traffic in Palma to check the runway after landing

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Palma de Mallorca lives the same routine every summer. Millions of touristsqueues at check-in and a heat that hits from the first hour. But last summer there was one flight that was more talked about than any other. Just like counted the Persian Gulf press, the event did not occur due to a breakdown or an emergency landing, but rather due to the simple fact of landing at Palma airport with a plane of enormous size. A plane that, despite the fact that its owner considers it “his private jet”, is so large that it forced almost all air traffic in Palma to be delayed just to verify that it had not left marks on the asphalt of the landing strip. A landing that stopped the airport. The private jet of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thanileaves its mark on all the airports where it lands. No wonder, its size and weight tests the operational capacity of the infrastructure, to the point of elevating its category from a regional airport to one with international capacity. as it already happened with the small airfield of Sardinia. On this occasion, the gigantic private jet took land at the Son Sant Joan airport, near Palma de Mallorca, at the beginning of last summer. The Spanish controllers association told it in its count in X. After landing, they said, “a runway check is carried out in case any type of dirt had been introduced.” In reality, what is inspected is that the runway asphalt has not been damaged during the landing after the impact of the 400 tons it weighs. This review is part of the mandatory protocol for aircraft of this size and leaves the runway that has been used closed for several minutes. During that time, controllers can only use one of the airport’s two runways, and nearby taxiways are left clear as this behemoth of the air moves toward its assigned parking lot. A “private jet” that needs half an airport to itself. We are talking about a Boeing 747-8, the largest version of the historic jumbo jet ever manufactured. According to the Boeing dataits wingspan reaches 68.4 meters and its length exceeds 76 meters. These are figures for a large commercial aircraft with capacity for up to 531 passengers, but in this case, its use is exclusive as a private jet for the Emir of Qatar and his large entourage. This makes it, de facto, a kind of flying presidential palace. Its imposing size means that very few airports in the world are prepared to receive such aircraft normally. Palma, despite being one of the busiest airports in the country During the summer, due to its influx of international flights, it achieves this, but with special maneuvers every time one of these giants lands. A single plane turns the airport upside down. The 747-8 falls into the “Heavy” category, according to the company itself. AENA document. That classification is for airplanes over 136 tons. This forces us to extend the operating distance with the plane behind, to avoid the turbulence generated by its wings. The result of this delay with the next landing generates a domino effect on the rest of the flights, slowing down the normal operations of the airport, already in itself. stressed by the increase in tourists in summer. Other flights wait on the ground or in the air while the private giant settles into the indicated location. Added to this is the logistical difficulty caused by the arrival of these giants of the air and platforms capable of accommodating an aircraft of this weight are limited. Luxury goes inside. Inside, the plane is another story. It is estimated that it is around 360 million euros. It hides lounges, offices and rest areas with fine woods and gold finishes, far from what we would find in the cabin of a commercial flight. The family usually completes the summer on board the Al Lusailhe imposing superyacht of 123 meters in length valued at 500 million dollars that each year awaits its owner, whose annual expenditure on vacations is equivalent to that of 10,000 tourists. Just give him a hand painting this superyacht It has cost 13 million euros. As I collected he Diary of Tarragonaat this moment the Al Lusail It is moored in the Tarragona marina, very close to the Reus airport. Given the dates, Tarragona, heats that this summer is your turn. In Xataka | The Boeing 747 that the Emir of Dubai uses as a private plane is so luxurious that even the pilot’s controls are made of gold Image | Image | Wikimedia Commons (Khamenei.ir, John Murphy)

The emir of Qatar’s superyacht needed some repairs. Just giving it a coat of paint already costs 13 million euros

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The most luxurious yacht in the Persian Gulf has just returned to the water after missing for months. Nobody knew much about where it had been during all that time or what they did to it, even the manufacturer of the Emir of Qatar’s superyacht. he published it on his Instagram profile. It is only known that it left a German shipyard and that, when it reappeared off Gibraltar, it looked like new. As and how I collected Luxury Launchesbehind that “like new” there is a bill that few ordinary owners could assume: more than 35 million dollars. And we’re talking about giving it little more than a lick of paint. Once again, millionaires show us why only they can afford have these superyachts. A tune-up for a 500 million yacht. He Al Lusail belongs to the sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thaniemir of Qatar, and is one of the largest private yachts on the planet. It is 123 meters long and has capacity for 36 guests served by a crew of 56 people, as collected Yacht Bible. The emir ordered it to the manufacturer Lürssen in 2017, so after almost a decade sailing, it was time to give it a coat of paint. That’s why the yacht mysteriously disappeared from the marinas of the Spanish coast by which he used to be seen before summer. now we know that, during the last seven months, the Al Lusail has been at the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen undergoing maintenance, and returned in time for the summer season. What it really costs to take care of an 8,489-ton ship. According to Lürssen in your publicationthe work included technical reviews, hull inspection, propeller and rudder maintenance, and HVAC system upgrades. Nothing very flashy, but essential on a ship that weighs nearly 8,500 tons. The shipyard did not give exact figures, although according to estimates Luxury Launchesthe price of the full service could rise to about $35 million. Of that amount, a good part goes just in paint. Repainting a yacht of this size requires first removing all hardware, steel railings and window seals. According to they explain responsible for specialized shipyards Boat Internationalpreparation (sanding, treating corrosion, leaving the surface perfect) represents 70% of the work. The paint job, itself, is the easy part. 13 million euros in painting. On a medium-sized boat, the job of repainting the hull would cost, at most, a few hundred thousand euros. But he Al Lusail It is not an average ship, it is the height of a six-seven-story building. Its six decks, enormous glass facades and the curvature of its hull complicate the work and that shoots the final price above 15 million dollars (about 13 million euros), just to leave the exterior impeccable. To that figure must be added the rest of the maintenance work, engine and electrical system checks, renewal of fabrics and furniture in the cabins, etc. In summary, the Al Lusailhas complied with the rule that says that the maintenance of a yacht involves an average of 10% of its price of purchase. Taking into account that its price is estimated at around 500 million dollars, the Emir of Qatar even found this revision cheap. An owner for whom this is pocket change. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, current emir of Qatar, is a descendant of one of the most influential dynasties of the Arab world and presides over one of the sovereign funds largest in the world that manages assets for about 475,000 million dollars. The emir himself donated one of the Boeing 747s that used as private jetsto serve as Temporary Air Force One in the United States. The truth is that now, with the hull shining and the engines ready, the Al Lusail is ready for another summer in the Mediterranean. And its owner probably won’t even have noticed the damage he left in the box. In Xataka | A single millionaire spent the equivalent of 10,000 tourists on his luxury vacation in Mallorca: the Emir of Qatar Image | Wikimedia Commons (Khamenei.ir), YatchCharterFleet

the landing of the Emir of Dubai’s Boeing 747

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Badajoz airport is not exactly the type of airfield that often appears in the news. Badajoz airport received the emir of Dubai’s private Boeing 747 in 2016. The landing forced the runway, stairs and trailers to be adapted to operate the largest aircraft in its global aviation history. According to data collected by OndaZeroit is a modest regional airport, with little more than 107,000 passengers per year and around 4,500 annual operations. But on an afternoon in April 2016, the staff at that airport experienced the three most stressful hours in its history: had to completely adapt to receive the largest private plane that had ever set foot on its runway. What landed that day at the Extremaduran airfield was not a private jet to use. It was a Boeing 747-400 Combi owned by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. A device designed to transport up to 530 passengers that, in its private version, serves as a flying embassy and residence of the Arab leader. What is an emir like you doing in a place like this? As and how I collected The Gulf Courierthe emir’s visit to the Extremadura airport was not a coincidence. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum arrived with a delegation of about 30 people to inspect the new farm he had purchased in the vicinity of Táliga, an area of ​​about 200 hectares of oak forest. Although it was the first time that the emir in person made an appearance in Badajoz, the presence of his representatives in the area was not new. According what was published by The Vanguard That same year, several members of royal families from the Persian Gulf had acquired estates in Extremadura, attracted by the extension of the pasture, the privacy of the rural environment and the proximity to high-level equestrian routes. The Olivenza region accumulates several of these properties and, since then, Sheikh Mohammed has visited the area on more than one occasion with the same device. Landing a Boeing 747 at a regional airport is not only an air transport operation, it involves a whole logistical challenge for infrastructure. Unaccustomed to receiving aircraft of such size, the airport authorities had to expand safety zones on the track, the resistance of the pavement and even adapt the taxi route on the runway to guarantee an adequate height. In addition, they had to provide themselves with larger access stairs, because the ones they usually used did not reach to the double deck of the Boeing 747. Something similar happened with towing vehicles, suitable for moving smaller commercial aircraft, but without enough power to maneuver such a colossus. According to details LuxuryLaunchesthe airport also had to enable higher capacity generators to keep the VIP cabin and the plane’s air conditioning system operational while the president’s visit to his Táliga estate lasted. The Badajoz airport met the minimum requirements to operate aircraft of this caliber, but needed to adapt to a very unusual maneuver for a regional airport in Extremadura. The visit lasted three hours. The preparations, much more. A flying presidential residence He Emir of Dubai’s “private jet” It has nothing to do with conventional private jets, and looks more like a flying palace than a commercial airliner. The front area houses the private bedroom with the Sheikh’s suite, lavishly decorated with gold taps and shower. In the center is the majlis, a reception space of Arab tradition, where the emir meets with his council during the journey. In the rear, a dining room functions as a meeting room with capacity for 26 people, and on the upper deck there are eight minisuites with seats that convert into beds to accommodate the entourage that accompanies him on each of his trips. Even the cockpit has its own particular detail: the throttle levers and flap controls are covered in gold. The Combi configuration of the device also allows cargo to be transported in the rear section, with containers enabled for the emir’s horsesthe main reason for the successive purchase operations of land and properties in the Extremaduran pasture. The emir’s intention was use them as breeding spaces for his stud farm and organize private equestrian raids on his land. In Xataka | The Emir of Dubai bought a 500 million superyacht but discovered that it had a serious problem: there was no mobile coverage inside Image | Wikimedia Commons (Cybaaudi, Konstantin Von Wedelstaedt)

The Boeing 747 that the Emir of Dubai uses as a private plane is so luxurious that even the pilot’s controls are made of gold

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When we talk about private jetsluxury is already inferred in that same concept, but even within something as exclusive as that, there are airplanes and then there is he Boeing 747 of the emir of dubaia separate category that makes a normal Gulfstream look like a regular bus. Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, emir of dubaidid not limit itself to converting one of the largest airplanes in the world into a flying mansion, it also extended the luxury to the pilot cabin, with the engine control knobs, flaps and brakes covered in gold. Aviation youtuber Sam Chui had access to the interior and documented in detail everything he found aboard this flying palace that has all the luxury and comforts of a five star hotel designed both to satisfy the government needs of its owner, as well as those of the entire entourage that accompanies him. A jumbo jet with a double identity The base of this mobile mansion is a Boeing 747-400 Combi, a variant of the commercial jumbo jet that combines a large passenger area in the front, with cargo capacity in the rear. This duality allows it to transport the head of state, his team and the cargo (luggage, vehicles, etc.) they need on the same flight, something that clearly differentiates it from other private jets. more “modest.” The most striking element of the interior is the majlis, the traditional Arab reception room, adapted in the form of a huge open space in the central part of the plane in which there are a series of very comfortable seats for the president and his governing council. At the front, just below the cockpit, is the master bedroom, which looks more like a the luxury hotel suite than to a cabin at 10,000 meters above sea level. The lighting is warm, the bathroom and faucets are goldand it has a shower that you don’t expect to find on a plane. In the rear, a large dining room serves as a meeting room with capacity for 26 people, turning the plane into a valid space for negotiations or state dinners. On the upper deck there are eight minisuites with large reclining seats for VIP passengers, and a section with business class seats for the staff who accompany the emir on each trip. When luxury reaches the cockpit Most private jets reserve luxury for the passenger and limiting the cockpit to a more practical and austere function. That doesn’t happen on the emir of Dubai’s plane. Just like published LuxuryLaunchesin this private jet right down to the throttle levers, aerodynamic brake controls and flaps They have a gold finishturning each maneuver into a symbolic gesture and reminding pilots what type of aircraft they are flying. The Combi configuration of the aircraft allows cargo to be carried in the rear, including specific containers for the emir’s horsessomething consistent with the sheikh’s well-known love of horse riding. The plane has a range of about 13,500 kilometers, enough to connect Dubai with any part of the world without stops. The sheikh has at least two Boeing 747s like this one. According to Mallorca DiaryIn March 2026, one of them landed in Palma de Mallorca, generating all kinds of speculation about its destination. In Xataka | The Emir of Dubai bought a 500 million superyacht but discovered that it had a serious problem: there was no mobile coverage inside Image | Wikimedia Commons (Ukrainian Government), Sam Chui

The emir of Qatar travels in a private jet so big it helped Sardinia airport upgrade

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In 2021, the airport Olbia Costa Smeralda In Sardinia, it undertook work to expand its runway to be able to receive long-distance flights, thus opening the door for international airlines to bring a greater volume of tourists to the island. However, the inauguration of this work was somewhat special. As and how did he count Luxury Launchesthe ceremony inauguration of the new track It starred the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, but he did not do so by unveiling any commemorative plaque or cutting any ribbon. He did it bravely: landing his huge private jeteither. Who said fear? A private jet so big that it changes the category of the airport In the summer of 2021, the works on the Sardinian airport had just been completed. In an attempt to escape the scorching heat of Doha, the emir wanted to spend a few days of relax in the Mediterranean. Neither quick nor lazy, the president gave the order to embark to his crowded entourage who usually accompanies him on his private plane, and they headed to Sardinia. The Boeing 747-8, in addition to being one of the largest airplanes in the worldis the plane that Qatar Amiri Flight, the airline owned by the Qatari emirate, has assigned as a private plane for the top leader of the country. The emir’s plane, valued at around 370 million euros, has impressive dimensions, being 76 meters long, more than 68 meters wide and weighing close to 450 tons at takeoff. Qatar Boeing 747-8 Amiri Flight. The “private jet” of the emir of Qatar Olbia airport was already a key point due to its capacity to move almost 1.8 million passengers in 2008, operating mainly with domestic flights and some destinations in Europe. The infrastructure had just been expanded, lengthening the main runway by about 300 meters to a length of 2,740 meters, the safety zones were expanded and the taxiway was improved, which speeds up the approach to and departure from the runway. In principle, there would be no problem for the huge private jet to land. There was only one small detail: the track had not been tested previously and, in fact, It wasn’t even approved so that planes the size of the emir’s 747-8 could land there. Unimportant details. Olbia Costa Smeralda airport in Sardinia after its expansion As the airlines had not yet scheduled any long-haul international routes from that airport, the airport authorities took advantage of the visit of your important tourist to officially certify the ability to operate this type of flights that use aircraft such as the Boeing 747, Boeing 777, the Airbus A330, the Airbus A340. If the emir could land with your private jet loaded with his entourage, international tourists could too. The operation was carried out without incident, confirming that both the length and the paving of the runway were adequate to support the operations of these air giants. According what was published through the local environment The New Sardegnathanks to the inaugural maneuver of the private jet of the Emir of Qatar, in November of that same year the first flights connecting Sardinia with Los Angeles, China and Singapore with direct flights were inaugurated. The emir of Qatar: main interested party Even if all precautions had been taken during the landing operation, being the first aircraft of its kind to use the runway always entails some risks. However, the emir of Qatar was especially interested in international planes being able to land on that runway. full of tourists. The reason is easy to guess. The most prestigious hotels, marinas and resorts on the Emerald Coast belong to Emerald Holdingwholly controlled by the Qatar Investment Authority. Hotel Cala Di Volpe in Sardinia. One of the five-star hotels of the Emir of Qatar We are talking about a series of five-star hotels that offer luxury stays on the shores of the Mediterranean for clients as select as the Emir of Qatar. Therefore, it is not strange that the highest representative of this hospitality empire opens the way for millionaires from all over the world to use the new runway to land with their private jets or arrive accommodated in the seats business of international airlines. In Xataka | A single millionaire spent the equivalent of 10,000 tourists on his luxury vacation in Mallorca: the Emir of Qatar Image | Wikimedia Commons (Khamenei.ir, Mehmet Mustafa Celik, John Murphy), Marriott

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