22/10/2014
Hamad International Airport, Doha, State of Qatar
Qatar Airways is leading the race in redeveloping the region’s future aviation hub, Hamad International Airport ((formerly known under the project working name New Doha International Airport)
Hamad International, located just four kilometres away from the existing Doha International Airport, opened to a soft launch on 30 April 2014.
Qatar Airways, which operates the majority of flights to and from Doha International Airport, will move its entire operations to Hamad International on 27 May 2014. The airline will manage and operate the new airport.
The new facility will be the world’s first airport to accommodate unrestricted operations by all commercial aircraft, including the A380 – the largest passenger aircraft ever built.
The 2,200-hectare airport site, more than half of which is built on reclaimed land from the Arabian Gulf, combines both architectural panache and technologically advanced systems. An iconic structure, Hamad International Airport promises to offer an unrivalled
experience for passengers, airlines and the local aviation community at large operating at the facility.
Forecasted for maximum development from 2015 onwards, the airport project will be implemented in phases, starting with Phase One with a cost of over US$15 billion at opening day.Work began in January 2005 on Phase One, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014 to handle an initial capacity of 30 million passengers a year, increasing to over 50
million by the time the airport is fully operational beyond 2015.
Both runways have been completed as has the dredging work on site with 60 per cent of the airport built on reclaimed land. Hamad International Airport will incorporate a total of 41 wide body aircraft contact gates, together with over 40,000 square metres of space devoted to retail and food and beverage facilities, passenger lounges, and multi-story short-term and long-term parking.
Other features will include a new Emiri (royal) Terminal complex for VIP flights with additional hardstands, cargo terminal buildings, aircraft hangars and associated airline and airport ancillary features. The complex will include an airport hotel and a 100-room transit hotel within the terminal for the convenience of transfer passengers.