DUBAI — Qatar Airways Group will move to Hamad International Airport in Doha toward the year-end, Gulf News said on Thursday, quoting the airline company's CEO Akbar Al-Baker. The $15.5b Hamad International Airport, also known as New Doha International Airport, to be managed and operated by Qatar Airways will receive first passengers on April 1, when the facility will be opened to a dozen airlines that don't require lounge utilization. Initially, Hamad International Airport will have a handling capacity of some 28 million passengers a year, increasing to 50 million in its final phase of development beyond 2015, Gulf News said. The current airport (Doha International Aiport) will remain open to passenger services until Qatar Airways moves its entire operations to the new facility by the year-end, Al-Baker told the newspaper. Al-Baker said Qatar Airways was looking forward to becoming a fully-fledged member of oneworld, the first of the major Gulf carriers to announce intentions to join a global airline alliance. He said: “These are exciting times for Qatar Airways and Qatar. The opening of Hamad International Airport, our new home, will be a formidable milestone in the country's relatively short history in the aviation industry. “This is an airport being watched closely by industry observers around the world, an airport that will set the standards and benchmark globally in the quality of facilities, services and finishings, not seen anywhere in the world. “We look forward to welcoming the first airlines next month followed soon after by cargo operations and freighter flights moving across to Hamad International Airport. Qatar Airways will move its entire operations to the new airport by the year-end.” Highlights of the new facility include more than 40,000 square meter of retail space and passenger lounges, some 41 contact gates, dedicated gates for the Airbus A380 superjumbo, a VVIP terminal, an iconic mosque, cargo complex and two runways, one being the longest in the world, and much more, Gulf News said. Al-Baker told the paper: “The new airport is an architectural masterpiece that promises to be a great new travel experience, meeting the exciting expansion plans for Qatar Airways, which currently operates some 121 aircraft to 125 destinations worldwide. Within three years, we will surpass 170 aircraft flying to more than 170 destinations. – SG
