GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Qatar's New Doha International AirportQuickly rising out of the sea in Qatar is an inspired airport project of real magnitude. The first airport anywhere around the world designed specifically for Airbus A380 operations it is not in some remote spot but still very much within the environs of the city that it supports. New Doha International Airport (NDIA), due to open in 2009, will have an initial capacity of 24m passengers and 750,000 tons of cargo. There are two parallel runways, amongst the longest in a civil airport anywhere in the world (4,250m and 4,850m). The site is only three miles to the east (that is seaward) of the existing Doha Airport and in transport terms probably no longer than it takes at the present time from any location within the city. Perhaps its greatest virtue is that the airport, whilst very visible, does not impinge noise-wise on the land mass at all. It will certainly be one of the world quietest major terminals. It is eco friendly. Our photo was recently taken from a satellite with the existing single runway airport clearly visible on the left.
To put it in perspective NDIA covers 2,200 hectares and initially will have two runways. This compares with Heathrow at 1,210 ha (2 runways), Hong Kong 1,225 ha (2 runways), Narita 1,065 ha (2 runways) and Charles de Gaulle 3,254 ha (4 runways).
The airport will be managed and operated by Qatar Airways. US engineering and construction giant Bechtel were awarded the construction contract in 2004 and says that it is well on time. The fact that the Airbus A380 is at least one year behind schedule is actually an advantage. Qatar Airways can now hopefully take delivery of its first Airbus A380 and inaugurate the airport the same time. Our artist's impression shows how it will look for 2009.
Qatar is one of the most stable of the Gulf states with a population of around 900,000 made up of approximately one-third nationals, one-third from the Indian subcontinent and one third expatriates which includes those from other Middle Eastern countries. In 2001, Qatar resolved its long-standing border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. It is a mature state with a welcoming attitude to all and whilst expansion minded and looking to the future seems less frenetic than others in the region. Qatar Airways, the national carrier sees itself as a quality airline with Doha very much of a hub for connecting passengers. With the Asian Games opening in November the airline is pushing ahead very fast with the first of a fleet of new Airbus A340-600 due for delivery shortly, likely to coincide with the opening of the world's first dedicated premium class air terminal (a development of the existing airport) and nonstop flights to New York. 80% of the airline's business at Doha is transit, the airport a major hub for much of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.
To try and put the new airport in perspective is not easy. 60% of the site is on reclaimed land protected by 8 miles of armored sea wall. 65m cubic meters of material is being used to fill in the area. The environmental impact is intense, the guidelines being very strict. The state-of-the-art passenger terminal with a wavy roof structure will be accessed through a roadway network that passes through a man-made lagoon to complement the natural bay and water setting. Once the current airport site has been released it will provide valuable land for development as a free trade zone. Planned facilities include office buildings and a business park, hotels, a shopping mall and ancillary services. Still part of the airport ownership it will provide significant opportunities for international investors, providing additional diversified revenue for the airport and the source of local jobs.
The three-story terminal includes 40 gates and 140,000m2 of floor space, of which 25,000m2 is to be dedicated as retail space. In addition, there will be seven remote gates. Walking distances, it is claimed, will be cut to a minimum through the clever configuration of the building. Three new major road interchanges to provide access to the new airport from the city and surrounding areas are being built. The airport master plan calls for a luxury hotel and a transit hostelry. The complex also includes a cargo terminal with a 750,000 tons per year capacity, additional hard standing areas for the passenger terminal, hangar space for two A380-800s and three A340s at the same time and a maintenance center.
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