Eight American Airlines A330s that spent years in the New Mexico desert are about to fly again
Published on May 03, 2026 at 12:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on May 03, 2026 at 12:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
If you’d thought you’d seen the last of these eight American Airlines Airbus A330s, then think again, as they are set to fly again after six years in the desert.
The eight jets have been sitting in storage at the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico, awaiting their fate.
These aircraft were kept in flying condition, and retired after just 13 years of service, but now have a new lease of life.
That new life won’t be in America, however, as it lies with Vietnam’s newest airline.
Where are these American Airlines Airbus A330s going?
The information on the aircraft was first reported on X by account Fahadnaimb.
These eight aircraft have been sitting in storage since 2020, with the youngest only 11 years old.
In fact, more than half of the lives of some of these jets have been spent sitting in the desert.
The eight aircraft were part of 24 that were retired by American Airlines in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With so few flight hours and wear, they were the perfect choice for a new airline.
That is the Vietnamese airline Sun PhuQuoc, which is looking at entering the premium international market.
While it has Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order, these are not expected until 2030 at the earliest.
Deliveries of these A330s, meanwhile, are set to begin in the Summer of 2026.
Who is the new operator of the Airbus aircraft?
The airline that is set to operate the new aircraft is Sun PhuQuoc.
It is Vietnam’s newest airline, and has operated service for just over six months.
It obtained its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) in late 2025 before its service began in November that year.
Currently, all its fleet is comprised of Airbus airliners, including the A320neo, A321-200, and A321neo.
These A330s will further strengthen its fleet.
Airbus introduced the A330 in the 1990s, with the first flight taking place in 1992.
It entered service with French airline Air Inter in 1994.
Since then, various iterations have been built, ranging from the A330 MRTT for military tanker usage to the A330neo and even the Beluga XL.
Various airlines are expected to fly Airbus A330s for many more years to come.
Airbus timeline
1970: Airbus Industrie is formally established as a European aerospace consortium
1972: First flight of the A300 twin-engine widebody aircraft
1987: First flight of the A320 featuring innovative fly-by-wire technology
2000: Official launch of the A380 double-deck superjumbo program
2001: Airbus reorganizes from a consortium into a single integrated company
2005: The A380 completes its successful maiden flight in Toulouse
2013: First flight of the A350 XWB advanced widebody airliner
2018: The acquired Bombardier CSeries is officially rebranded as the Airbus A220
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
