Built at a cost of
S$21 billion, the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport in Doha
is due to open later this year and will replace the current Doha
International as Qatar's only international airport. The new airport has
taken nearly nine years to build. The sprawling 29,000 sq km facility
is 1/3 the entire size of Doha itself and built almost entirely on
reclaimed land. Flagship carrier Qatar Airways is set to operate out of
the new terminal from the start of June 2014.
Built at a cost of S$21 billion,
the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport in Doha is due to open
later this year and will replace the current Doha International as
Qatar's only international airport. The sprawling 29,000 sq km facility
is 1/3 the entire size of Doha itself and built almost entirely on
reclaimed land. Flagship carrier Qatar Airways is set to operate out of
the new terminal from the start of June 2014.
Designed by the Bechtel Group, the new airport has taken almost nine years to build. It is expected to handle 50 million travelers in 2016 -- 85% of whom will be transit passengers. Designed with an "oasis in the desert" theme, many of the buildings and main terminal uses water motifs, with wave-style roofs and desert plants, and also plenty of natural lighting and recycled water.
Yes, that is a teddy bear sitting right in the centre of the transit lounges. The giant plush toy comes right out of the personal toy collection of Qatar's ruling Al-Thani royal family. With the majority of passengers being in transit in between flights, the Hamad airport comes equipped with an onsite hotel, swimming pool, a public mosque, large duty-free and retail space and dedicated rest and play areas to rest and recharged tired minds and bodies.
Qatar Airways is the operator of the airport and main customer, and the fast-rising airline will have dedicated VIP check-in channels. The new airport is designed to become a major international hub for the Middle East and will set a new standard in airline efficiency, service and passenger convenience.
The massive new airport in the Qatari capital has started handling its first commercial flights after years of delays as the natural-gas rich Gulf nation works to transform itself into a major aviation hub.
The departure terminal at the sprawling airport features wide walkways for easy commuting and is also equipped with passenger loading trains for quick transits in between gates. The airport will also be able to handle the super jumbo Airbus A380s, which required dedicated loading/unloading bridges.
Gulf nation works to transform itself into a major aviation hub.
A general view of the empty main terminal building of the Hamad International Airport which opened on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, in Doha, Qatar.
A waiting area at one of the gates.
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