Boeing 727 abandoned at Faro Airport could be seized over €1m in unpaid fees
March 3, 2026
Portuguese airport operator ANA — Aeroportos de Portugal has formally notified Jean-Pierre Bemba, a senior politician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), that he has 60 days to remove a Boeing 727-100 jet parked at Faro Airport (Aeroporto Gago Coutinho). If he fails to do so, the aircraft could be declared abandoned and taken over by the Portuguese state under national law.
Boeing 727 has sat at Faro Airport for nearly 20 years
The Boeing 727-100 in question has been sitting at the airport since 2007, nearly 20 years without being moved. Based on published parking and handling rates, the unpaid fees for the aircraft have now reportedly climbed to around €1 million in outstanding charges owed to ANA.
The Boeing 727 originally entered service in the 1960s and was later owned by Jean-Pierre Bemba, former vice-president of the DRC and a well-known political figure.
Bemba was arrested in 2008 under an International Criminal Court warrant on serious charges and later served a prison sentence. After his release, he returned to politics and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for transport.
Aircraft parked longer than 90 days could be declared abandoned in Portugal
Under recent Portuguese airport regulations, aircraft that remain continuously parked for more than 90 days without removal may be treated as improperly stationed. If owners do not resolve outstanding fees or remove the aircraft within a designated 60-day notification window, the airport operator (ANA) may declare it abandoned and potentially transfer title to the State.
The case of the abandoned Boeing 727 is not unique in Portugal. Two Airbus A319 aircraft parked at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Portugal are also headed for abandonment claims. As reported by ECO, the aircraft were previously operated by the Portuguese charter airline White Airways under an ACMI arrangement.
These cases are similar to ongoing challenges at other European airports involving abandoned aircraft, which create space constraints and require enforcement of fee collection and removal.
The abandoned aircraft problem in Spain
Abandoned aircraft and long-term-parked jets are scattered throughout Europe and have become a serious problem in Spain. As El País reported in 2019, the Spanish national airport authority, AENA, recorded dozens of planes left at public airports that were in the process of being declared abandoned.
At one point, there were at least 71 aircraft awaiting formal abandonment procedures and possible auctioning. Airports like Valencia–Manises (24 abandoned aeroplanes) and Madrid–Cuatro Vientos (19 abandoned aeroplanes) were among the sites with the most jets left behind.
What qualifies an aircraft as “abandoned”?
Though national laws vary, in general, an aircraft is considered potentially abandoned when:
- The owner can’t be found or doesn’t respond to notices,
- Airport parking/storage/handling fees go unpaid for long periods, and
- The local authority or airport initiates formal abandonment procedures under the relevant law.
Some aircraft owners choose to leave their aircraft at the airport rather than pay large parking, recovery, or ferrying costs. This is different from aircraft parked in boneyards or storage facilities, where aircraft are intentionally parked for future reuse, parts recovery, or retirement and may remain stationary for decades.
The longest known cases of aircraft left behind
While there’s no formal worldwide record of how many aircraft may be considered abandoned at any one time, there have been several notable cases of long-term aircraft abandonments at airports over the years.
Air India Boeing 737-200 — ~13 years
A Boeing 737-200 was lost in airline paperwork at Kolkata Airport, where it sat parked for about 13 years before it was rediscovered and moved in 2025. Air India had acquired the aircraft through a 2007 merger with its previous owner, Indian Airlines, but, due to an administrative error, had lost track of it.
Last week @airindia completed the sale and transfer of this B737-200 (VT-EHH) that had been grounded at CCU since 2012.
— Trinidade Gois (@flyingTrini) November 21, 2025
Delivered to Indian Airlines (IC) in 1982, then on to "Alliance Air", until it was converted into a freighter and flew with "India Post" titles.
My 2019 photo. pic.twitter.com/Zmqx13QORo
The carrier paid accumulated parking and handling fines—reportedly around 10 million rupees (€93,000)—and ultimately sold it to sit elsewhere. The aircraft is now on display in India as a restaurant.
The Air India Boeing 737 aircraft was only one of 14 abandoned aircraft that Kolkata Airport had cleared from its premises over the previous five years.
Umm Al Quwain Ilyushin Il-76 — ~22 years
An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane remained abandoned in the UAE near Umm Al Quwain Airport for around 22 years. A Russian arms smuggler, Viktor Bout, had previously owned the aircraft.
It became a minor local landmark before being dismantled in 2022 to make room for luxury real estate development on the site where the aircraft sat.
Global Peace Boeing 747SP — 20 years (and counting)
A Boeing 747SP has remained parked and largely derelict at Tijuana International Airport in Mexico for over two decades. It was left behind in 2005, following the collapse of Global Peace, the charitable organisation that last owned and operated it.
B747 SP Global Peace Ambassadors abandoned at Tijuana International Airport
by u/JessVargas722 in aviation
The 747 is slowly deteriorating from the elements as officials remain undecided about how best to dispose of it.
Numerous older jets and vintage aircraft have been left behind near airport facilities worldwide, sometimes for decades. Some are fortunate and become part of aircraft displays; others are ultimately scrapped for parts; and a few remain in airport limbo, sadly unclaimed.
Featured Image: Colin Cooke | Flickr
