By Pratap John
Chief Business Reporter
Abdulaziz al-Noaimi and Akbar al-Baker with a senior Ministry of Interior official at a new immigration counter at the Terminal B
Doha International Airport (DIA) has opened its brand new Terminal B – a dedicated departures facility for foreign airlines ahead of the busy summer holiday season.
All passengers travelling on flights with more than 30 international airlines will now depart from Terminal B, while all Qatar Airways flight departures will continue to operate from the existing Departures Terminal – now renamed Terminal A.
Foreign Airlines departing from Terminal B are: Emirates, FlyDubai, Kuwait Airways, Jet Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, British Airways, KLM / Air France, Royal Jordanian, Sudan Airways, Air Arabia, Middle East Airlines, Air India Express, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Yemen Airways, Shaheen Air, Iran Aseman Airlines, Gulf Air, Nepal Airlines, Iran Air, Syrian Arab Airlines, Etihad Airways, Egyptair, Bahrain Air and Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Akbar al-Baker addressing a press conference at the Doha Airport’s new Terminal B yesterday
The new-look Terminal B, situated adjacent to Terminal A, is the result of a six-month transformation of the old arrivals building, which closed down in December last year and moved to a new location on the edge of the airport.
Both Terminals A and B share the same duty free shopping, lounge facilities and parking at DIA.
Doha International Airport is managed and operated by Qatar Airways.
The move to separate flight departures follows the continued rapid growth of Qatar’s national carrier, which has meant infrastructure changes at the airport to cope with the expansion.
Also officially launched today is a revamped website for Doha International Airport www.dohaairport.com
The website is a comprehensive portal for information about the airport, airline operators, departures, arrivals, baggage tracing, hotels, booking Al Maha ‘Meet and Greet’ and service, visa regulations and much more.
A unique functionality launched with the website is a mobile SMS feature that can provide instant updates about flight departure and arrival timings. 
The SMS flight status capability allows passengers to send an SMS to 92636 with the flight number in the message, for example ‘QR250’ or ‘EK293’, which prompts a reply with the full flight status. Updates on flight status can be accessed anytime.
Speaking at the official launch of Terminal B, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Akbar al-Baker reinforced the importance of expanding capacity at Doha’s International Airport’s facilities, at a time when passenger traffic is growing exponentially.
“After the opening of the new stand-alone Doha Arrivals Terminal last December, we are now pleased to inaugurate the new Departures Terminal B as the latest step in the infrastructure improvements to handle the increased influx of passengers through the airport,” he said.
“Our aim is to provide travellers with an enhanced travel experience. The upgrade of Doha International Airport is part of a multi-million dollar investment in improved facilities ahead of the opening of the New Doha International Airport, which promises to be one of the most advanced airports in the world when it opens next year.”
Highlights of the new terminal include an enlarged check-in area with 35 counters, including an online check-in lounge, a dedicated customer service desk for oversized luggage, a currency exchange bureau, ATM machines, a new high-tech baggage handling system, and food and beverage outlets. There will also be an enlarged 600sqm immigration hall featuring 10 counters and three e-gates.
Passengers walk through into the common airside environment of Terminal A and have access to the same present-day retail shopping, airport lounges, prayer rooms, food court and other facilities.
Terminal A will see a more spacious check-in area, additional boarding gates over the next few months and a significant revamp of the Oryx Lounge.
The Oryx Lounge, located airside on the upper level of DIA, caters to first and business class passengers of other airlines, or can be accessed for a nominal fee of $40 per person when travelling in Economy Class on any carrier.
Work is expected to be completed on the Terminal A improvements within weeks.