The new arrivals terminal at Doha International Airport is now open, providing additional capacity to cope with growth in demand.
Qatar Airways’ flight QR133 from Kuwait was the first flight to arrive into the new Doha Arrivals terminal, at 11.30am yesterday (December 19).
At 13,500 sqm, the new terminal is larger than the airport’s old arrivals area in the airport's main terminal, which will now be revamped before it starts serving departing passengers.
Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways Group, which which manages and operates Doha International airport, said that the stand-alone Arrivals terminal building will bring much-needed additional capacity.
“The new Doha Arrivals facility will greatly assist the airline’s expansion plans between now and the opening of New Doha International Airport in 2012,” he said.
The new terminal, built on the site of the temporary terminal that was built for the Doha Asian Games in 2006, features a dedicated arrivals lounge for Qatar Airways’ first and business class passengers flying into the emirate.
The lounge has an all-day dining restaurant, as well as a business centre and showers, allowing travellers to freshen up or prepare for business meetings before leaving the airport.
Doha Arrivals also has more baggage belts and immigration counters than the old arrivals area, as well as duty free shopping and a bigger meet and greet waiting area.
The next stage in the development of Doha International airport will be reconfiguring the existing arrivals area in the main terminal, which will be renamed the departure and transfer terminal – this will take several months.
www.qatarairways.com