It is very common for business flights to arrive at Malaga Airport. These are generally small jets with a more limited number of seats and … range. But the ultimate in luxury is to see an entire long-haul passenger aircraft, designed for intercontinental flights, adapted for private use.<\/p>\n
Royal Brunei’s Boeing 787 is not the only aircraft of its kind to have been spotted on the runways this summer, but it is certainly one of the largest. <\/p>\n
The aircraft arrived in Malaga on 22 August and departed 31 August, according to airport sources.<\/p>\n
On board were members of the royal family of this small nation on the island of Borneo, in South-East Asia, although it has not been possible to confirm whether Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, considered one of the richest people in the world, was among them.<\/p>\n
The Bruneian royal family have visited the Costa del Sol on several occasions, with Marbella and Sotogrande, on the Cadiz coast, among their preferred destinations. <\/p>\n
In August 2025, for example, Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei and his wife, Princess Anisha Rosnah, were spotted in the area. The sultan’s sixth son is a helicopter pilot and a keen sportsman, particularly when it comes to polo, which he plays competitively. <\/p>\n
Last summer, he celebrated his 34th birthday at a private estate surrounded by family and friends and was also seen several times playing polo at the exclusive resort.<\/p>\n
The sultan’s daughters have also featured in stories from Marbella’s nightlife. One such anecdote came from nightclub owner Olivia Val\u00e8re<\/a>, who recalled a lavish booking they once made for a private party at her venue.<\/p>\n \nPrivate flights on the rise\n<\/p>\n Malaga Airport has been recording rapid month-on-month growth, well ahead of the increase at Spain’s other major airports operated by Aena. The sharp rise in private aviation serving the Costa del Sol has played a significant part in the airport’s record figures, according to former airport director Pedro Bendala.<\/p>\n Bendala estimates that business aviation accounts for as many as 60 arrivals and departures at the airport every day. “It’s a sector that has grown considerably in recent years. We now have between 50 and 60 private flights every day,” he said.<\/p>\n Private aviation is, in fact, growing faster than commercial air traffic.<\/p>\n