Qatar’s $15bn iconic Hamad International Airport welcomed first passengers in a soft opening yesterday, marking a new era in the country’s aviation history. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
By Pratap John
Chief Business Reporter
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Qatar’s $15bn iconic Hamad International Airport welcomed first passengers in a soft opening yesterday, marking a new era in the country’s aviation history.
A Qatar Airways A320 aircraft (QR7450) was the first to officially land on the east runway of the airport around 11.30am yesterday and was greeted by a traditional “water salute”.
Onboard the inaugural flight to Hamad International Airport were HE the Minister of Transport Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Qatar Civil Aviation Authority chairman Abdul Aziz Mohamed al-Noaimi, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker and other dignitaries.
Following the soft launch, some 10 airlines, some of which are budget carriers, have moved their operations to Hamad International Airport.
They are: Biman Bangladesh Airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia, Iran Air, Air India Express, Yemenia, Pakistan International Airlines, Syrian Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Nepal Airlines.
National carrier Qatar Airways will move its entire hub operations to Hamad International Airport on May 27.
Designed to accommodate 30mn passengers annually, rising to 50mn upon full completion, HIA and Airport City (together comprising the NDIA project) span 29sq km, 60% on land reclaimed from the sea.
The project includes some 100 buildings.
The 600,000sq m passenger terminal equals 75 FIFA football fields put together and comprises some 373 elevators, escalators and “moving walkways”.
The passenger terminal has three concourses and some 33 contact gates, which will subsequently be increased to five concourses and 65 contact gates, including eight for the superjumbo Airbus A380, in the final build-out.
Once fully open, the terminal also features some 16 lounges, 26 art installations, more than 100 F&B and retail outlets, a transit hotel, a swimming pool, a luxury spa, squash courts and a four-storey catering facility, which is one of the largest in the world.
The on-site public mosque can accommodate 500 worshippers at prayer time.
The 25,000sq m departures hall will have some 138 check-in counters for first, business and economy passengers and some 50 passport control counters and 20 e-gates.
The arrivals hall has some nine baggage carousels, each 90m in length. It has also been equipped with a 9,500 sq m “meet and greet” area and 86,000 sq m glass curtain wall.
The Automated People Mover traverses the length of Concourse C. The glass-enclosed trains give passengers a “panoramic view” of the concourse as it moves noiselessly at a speed of 45kmph. With a capacity of 6,000 passengers an hour in each direction, the Automated People Mover helps passengers move quickly across concourses.
HIA’s flight activity areas have custom-designed pods for computers and televisions, play areas for children and “quiet areas” for passengers who need rest. Lively, interactive art pieces engage both children and adults, giving the terminal a “distinctive” feel
Second terminal planned
Qatar plans to have a second terminal at Hamad International Airport in time for the FIFA World Cup and dedicate the first terminal to the use of national carrier Qatar Airways. “It is part of our long-term vision. As we are hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, one of the commitments is to have another terminal. Once that’s ready, we will move other airlines to the second terminal and dedicate the first one to Qatar Airways,” Civil Aviation Authority chairman Abdul Aziz al-Noaimi, also chairman of the New Doha International Airport Steering Committee, said yesterday. “Hamad International Airport marks a new era in Qatar’s aviation industry and the NDIA Steering Committee is proud to have led this,” he said.