The new Hamad International Airport in Doha will receive its first passenger flights in April this year, while cargo operations will open by March.

 

This was revealed as high ranking state officials, members of the Shura, business leaders and a select gathering of media were provided an exclusive preview of the the airport and the stunning Passenger Terminal Complex today.

 

The event was organised under the patronage of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, by the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) Steering Committee, led by its chairman Abdul Aziz Al Noaimi.

 

In a ceremony that symbolised the first passenger check-in, Brigadier Abdullah Muhammed Al Suwaidi, as a representative of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Minister of State for Internal Affairs, received a specially designed and framed boarding pass from Al Noaimi and the NDIA Steering Committee members.

 

 

Al Noaimi said: “Today we see a fulfilment of our Emir’s vision to have not just a new airport, but an airport that ranks among the best in the world. Today we gather here to celebrate the accomplishment of the NDIA Steering Committee’s task to create a world class airport that meets the demands of rapidly evolving aviation needs combined with leading edge technology.”

 

Speaking further about the airport, he said: “Design, art, substance and safety intersect to create an unparalleled, never-before passenger experience.”

 

The airport marks a new chapter in Qatar’s aviation industry. The aviation hub is a world-class facility that is all set to redefine passenger and transit experience and the national carrier’s future home, said officials.

 

Guests at the ceremony were invited to be amongst the first worshippers to attend the noon prayer within the public mosque located at the Passenger Terminal Complex. A building that architecturally echoes the water theme that runs through the airport, its interior is truly breath taking with the gently domed roof filtering sunshine on to the prayer area in an ever-changing pattern of light and shadow.

 

The Hamad International Airport’s tranquil waterside setting provides a perfect backdrop for its stylish architectural elements underpinned by leading edge technology. Two world-class runways, reputed to be among the longest in the world, a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower, a stunning passenger terminal with a capacity of 30 million passengers per year, over 25,000 sq m of retail and food & beverage facilities are part of the new airport complex. - TradeArabia News Service