Qatar’s New Doha International Airport will be the world’s first to be designed and built specifically for the Airbus double-decker A380, the largest passenger aircraft ever built.

Situated approximately 4 km east of the existing airport the new facility will combine both architectural panache and technologically advanced systems on a 2,200-hectare site half of it reclaimed land.

Work began in January 2005 on phase one which is scheduled to be completed by 2011 to handle an initial capacity of 24 million passengers a year, more than doubling to around 50 million by the time the airport is fully operational beyond 2015.

The $14.5-billion project is being implemented in phases.

Both runways have almost been completed as has the dredging work on site with 60 per cent of the land already reclaimed.

The new airport will incorporate a total of 80 contact gates, including 25,000 sq m devoted to retail space, lounges and multi-story short-term and long-term parking.

Features will include a new Emiri (royal) terminal complex for VIP flights with additional hardstands, cargo terminal buildings, aircraft hangars and associated airline and airport ancillary features. The complex will include an airport hotel adjacent to the terminal and a 100-room hotel within the terminal for the convenience of visitors, as well as transfer passengers.

Phase One

• A 4,850-m runway and a 4,250-m runway capable of taking a fully laden A380.

• A 219,000-sq-m three-storey terminal with 40 contact gates, four of which will cater specifically for the A380. The terminal will have a capacity of 24 million passengers a year.

• More than 25,000 sq m of retail facilities and lounges.

• An aircraft maintenance centre with hangars which can accommodate two A380s and three A340s at any one time.

• A cargo facility with a capacity of 750,000 tonnes a year with eight hardstand aircraft parking bays.

• A general aviation terminal and hangar.

• A courier and mail facility.

• A free-trade zone and business park.

• The new Qatar Airways headquarters building.

• New Qatar Airways training facility including flight simulators.

• Three road interchanges to access the new airport from Ras Abu Aboud Road.

• A ‘people mover’ or suspended monorail which will transport passengers through the terminal.

Final phase – beyond 2015

• The addition of another 40 contact gates taking the total number to 80.

• The further extension of the terminal building to 416,000 sq m to handle 50 million passengers a year.