Plenty of large cities around the world have two or more airports. These have often been built at
different times, with larger airports introduced further from the city as aviation volume has
grown. They can also serve different regional areas. But Doha in Qatar, is slightly unusual
in that it has two large airports adjacent to each other to the southwest of the city. The new
one was opened as aviation expanded dramatically, particularly with homegrown airline Qatar Airways.
The city’s first airport, Doha International, opened in 1959.
This facility replaced a third airport – Durkhan Airport – which operated from the
1930s and was located much further from the city.
Doha International initially handled other carriers serving Qatar
but became the main base of Qatar Airways when the airline began operations in 1994.
But Qatar Airways expanded quickly beyond the its initial fleet of two jets. The
carrier took on the Boeing 747 in 1995 but then replaced it with Airbus A300 aircraft in 1997.
By 2003, its fleet of A300s had grown to eight. It also started introducing a
narrowbody fleet of A320s around the same time. The carrier ordered its first A380 in 2001,
and in 2003, placed an impressive $5.1 billion order with Airbus for 32 aircraft – including the
A330-200, A330-300, and A340, as well as more A320s. Boeing jets would return in 2007,
with an even larger $13.5 billion order for 30 787-8 aircraft and 27 777s. Fleet expansion
was well underway, and with it so were plans for a new airport.
Naturally, Doha International had not been designed to handle this volume of traffic,
initially handling fights serving the city of Doha, with local traffic and workers for the
oil and gas industry. It was not designed for the huge volume of traffic that Qatar Airways’
hub-based operating model brought with it. Three new terminals were added. This included
a premium terminal for Qatar Airways in 2006 and a dedicated arrivals terminal in 2010. However,
longer-term solutions lay in a new airport. Construction of a new airport began in 2005,
at a site just five kilometers to the east of the original Doha International Airport.
It was designed with Qatar Airways’ model very much in mind and allows for significant
future expansion. It is owned by the Qatar government but operated by Qatar Airways.
After several delays, Hamad International airport opened for passenger service on April 30th 2014
(cargo operations began a few months earlier). Other airlines moved across first, with Qatar
Airways shifting flights fully on May 27th. Doha International Airport closed to commercial flights
and is today used by the Air Force and some private companies. Qatar Executive, with its
fleet of private Gulfstream and Bombardier jets is based there, but operates from both airports.
Hamad International has since been expanded further with several
additional concourses. The airport will also have a garden and retail area
similar to Singapore Changi Airport’s Jewel development.
Have you used either of Doha’s airports? Let us know in the comments.