The New Doha International Airport (NDIA), due to open in 2012, will feature a unique, world-class commercial offer, according to Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways and Doha International Airport. “This airport will be state-of-the-art, very environmentally friendly and have a very sustainable design compared with any airport that has been built in the world,” he told The Moodie Report in an interview on Wednesday. “We have the advantage that as an airline we are responsible for the total passenger delivery, which means that we also run the airport - and we run the duty free.” “We will have retail areas that are massive and which will cater for all levels of passengers,” he added. The New Doha International Airport is an integral part of Qatar Airways' overall vision, Al Baker said. “We will not rest until we put Qatar Airways in the top 10 airlines in the world. This is the vision and to achieve this we need to have an airport of the size, quality and amenities which we are constructing,” he said. Al Baker moreover said the new airport's commercial selection will feature something for everyone: “We are channeling through our airport people from different walks and levels of society; and people of different levels of income. So we will have to provide facilities for every single passenger according to what they can spend.” “We cannot just concentrate on any one sector of passenger because we are an international airport and one with so much ethnic diversity that we will always cater for someone who wants to spend half a Dollar and someone who wants to spend $100,000.” Al Baker said that despite a projected 6 percent decline in spend per passenger over the next year at the existing Doha International Airport as a result of the financial crisis, the airport was still managing to grow retail penetration and overall sales. “The number of passengers coming to our duty free shops is increasing and our revenues are increasing so we are expecting a 24 percent increase in the revenue,” he said. While declining to give away too many details of the airport's unique facilities, Al Baker said: “One thing I can tell you is that it will be a surprise to the entire region.” “We will have state-of-the-art facilities for food & beverage; we will have many branded food outlets; a swimming pool; a full-fledged spa; and squash courts,” he added.
