New Doha International Airport Development

Table of Contents

Introduction3

History4

Contractors and Construction5

Phase I6

Phase II and III6

Airport Design and Air Traffic Control7

Technology and Features7

Conclusion10

References11

New Doha International Airport Development

Introduction

The New Doha International Airport, often abbreviated as NDIA, is an international airport that is currently under the process of being developed in the city of Doha, Qatar, not far from the current operating airport, approximately 5 kilometers away (www.dohaairport.com). Once complete, the New Doha International Airport is planned to take the position of the older Doha International Airport. Completion dates are estimated to be in the last quarter of this year.

The airport is being built under the supervision of Bechtel; effectively providing engineering, construction management and project management services. According to the information released to the public, the new installation increases both passenger capacity and cargo handling capabilities. It is also capable of housing the latest Airbus A380 Super Jumbo Jet, one of the largest commercial passenger airplanes built and frequently bought all over the world. Being A380 ready is a feat in itself, since the aircraft has very specific requirements in order to land at an airport and many third world countries are incapable of providing services to such flights (www.bechtel.com).

Speaking of numbers, the airport has a planned capability of 24 million passengers, and approximately 250,000 tons of cargo annually. Before and after flights, passengers will pass through a 510,000 square meter passenger terminal that contains 40 gates. There is even an entirely separate terminal for the Emir of Qatar. Passengers and cargo will be flown in and out of the city via two of the largest commercial use runways in the world. These flights will be handled by an 85 meter high air traffic control tower. If not landing or taking off, airplanes can be maintained in a 150,000 square meter aircraft maintenance center. Furthermore, the new airport boasts one of the world's largest airport catering facilities, a state of the art and technologically equipped air traffic control equipment and security. The airport truly is one of a kind and is being built for the comfort and satisfaction of passengers, as well as staff. It will ensure efficiency, reduce delays and be able to cater to heavy international traffic. The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at the Airport and its current developmental process, highlight its features and assess how the project is progressing (Forbes and Ahmed, 2009).

History

Even though the current airport has seen numerous expansion projects and overhauls, it still faces the dilemma of being overcrowded. The increase in the number of passengers is primarily due to the growth of the national airline, Qatar Airways. Another factor that constitutes to the growth of passengers is the improving economy. To tackle the increasing number of passengers, it was only fit to plan and construct a new, larger airport. Planning began in 2003 whereas construction started in 2006. As per schedule, the first two phases are expected to be completed by December of this year ...