UAE airlines set for new Qatar airport launch

Sunday, 17 March 2013 5:34 PM

Ten airlines including UAE-based budget carriers flydubai and Air Arabia will begin operations at Qatar's new Hamad International Airport (HIA) from April 1, it was announced on Sunday.

The Gulf state's new airport will also welcome operations from Air India Express, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Iran Air, Nepal Airlines, Pakistan International Airline, RAK Airways, Syrian Air and Yemen Airways from day one.

Qatar Airways’ flights will not be affected. The national airline will move its operations from the current Doha International Airport (DIA) to Hamad International Airport (HIA) by the end of the year, a statement said.

The 10 airlines listed will no longer have a presence at Doha International Airport and will operate exclusively from HIA, it added.

There will be around 32 passenger flights departing daily from HIA equating to approximately 222 flights per week.

Concourse B at HIA will be fully operational on April 1 for passengers travelling with these 10 airlines.

The eastern runway, which is the longest of the two runways at HIA, and the uniquely designed, crescent-shaped air traffic control tower, will also be in operation.

More than 1,000 people have taken part in passenger trials at Hamad International Airport to test the operations of passenger facilities from check-in and immigration to aircraft boarding and arrivals.

Over the next few weeks, a further 2,500 people will go through trials to ensure a "smooth and successful transition" of operations of flights from the current Doha International Airport to Hamad International Airport.

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Posted by: Vipin Monday, 18 March 2013 2:53 PM[UAE] - India

It is only because they want to first experiment for long time on these low cost carriers of Asian Origin (READ GUINEA PIGS) and then once they get fully equipped, HIA authorities will relegate these airlines to one small part of their airport... The way they have treated some asian countries... Indians built gulf and gave it what it all what it has today but these arabs got inclined to white skin once all the work got over... Today it is proven fact that majority (please NOT ALL) of Europeans who work in Gulf are Second Grade Fools who can't get any job anywhere in the world and then they come and act as Managers for Asian Staff Workers..

Posted by: Wildwine Tuesday, 19 March 2013 8:54 AM[UAE] - UAE

@Vipin; first 02 sentences of your post makes sense, rest is rubbish. I think it is time Indians get over the notion "Indians built gulf and gave it all", which is nonsense.
Just because there are many Indians in the Gulf since a long time does not necessarily mean that you built it. If you look at it from that perspective you might claim to have built many other countries as well (in time to come)!
You have a lot to say about the Arabs & Europeans; what about the Indians in the Gulf? Do you think they are the most efficient? Oh sorry I forgot... they are the ones who built the Gulf huh??
Sorry to be rude, there may be exceptions but Indians are not superior to anybody else.
BTW I am neither Arab or European.

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Posted by: Zara Monday, 18 March 2013 11:19 AM[UAE] - UAE

The reason why these airlines can move is because their passengers don't require lounge access.

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Posted by: Tarek Monday, 18 March 2013 9:33 AM[UAE] - Qatar

Cant help noticing that all of them are economy and/or 2 stars airlines, I wonder why?!

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