DOHA, 12 November 2003 — Qatar has boosted planned investment in a new airport to $2 billion in a bid to turn the gas-rich emirate into a regional hub and support the national carrier’s expansion, the airport chief said yesterday.
“The new airport will be designed to be one of the best airports in the world... and it is our driving priority to ensure that the best-ever facilities will welcome first-time and return visitors,” said Akbar Al-Baker, head of Doha International Airport and Qatar Airways in a statement.
Initial plans announced by Qatar in May 2002 had called for a $750-million investment. The new facility will be located east of the current site and have a capacity of 12 million passengers a year, two parallel runways, 25 contact gates and will eventually be able to accommodate up to six Airbus superjumbo jets, said Baker.
The Qatari official said the new airport will position Doha as a “leading regional aviation hub for at least the next 50 years,” and support Qatar Airways plans to expand its service to 60 destinations by the end of 2005. Qatar Airways, which currently operates a fleet of 27 Airbus aircraft, recently signed a $5.1-billion order for another 34 Airbus planes.