Authorities set in action plans to increase the capacity to accommodate over 58 million passengers annually because they expect over a million people during the World Cup time alone.
Thirteen airlines started operating from Doha International Airport (DIA) on Thursday, according to an announcement made by the Qatar Company for Airports Operation and Management (MATAR).
The airport will operate throughout the World Cup tournament and will cease to run after 30 December. The reopening of the facility is designed to help navigate air traffic during the World Cup, when Qatar is expected to welcome more than 1.2 million visitors from around the world.
Since the opening of the award-winning Hamad International Airport in 2014, the old Doha airport has been operating in a semi-retired state, mainly being used for flights by Qatar’s royal family, and VIPs.
Throughout the tournament, a total of thirteen carriers from around the world are expected to land and take off from Doha international airport. These include Air Arabia, Air Cairo, Badr Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Flydubai, Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera Airways, Nepal Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, SalamAir, and Tarco Aviation, according to a statement posted on Matar’s website.
The World Cup, which begins on November 20 and will last for four weeks, is estimated to draw 150,000 people each day during its busiest times, and some aviation specialists have predicted Hamad airport may not be able to handle the influx.
In June alone, 3 million people travelled through Hamad International Airport, and 8.42 million did so in the second quarter of 2022, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. This is an 18% increase over the same time in the previous year.
However, authorities set in action plans to increase the capacity to accommodate over 58 million passengers annually because they expect over a million people during the World Cup time alone.
There are parking facilities for cars at both the DIA departure and arrival terminals, however parking fees will apply, according to the announcement. Additionally, there will be prayer rooms, fast WiFi, Ooredoo and Vodaphone kiosks, ATMs, foreign exchange facilities, and special services for passengers with limited mobility.
The departure terminal for Doha International Airport is located in Doha’s Old Airport area at the intersection of D-ring road and Al Matar Street.
According to the statement, 2,000 departing passengers per hour can be accommodated in the departures terminal. It includes 22 departure boarding gates, 52 departure immigration counters, and 83 check-in desks. Only ticketed passengers are permitted entry inside the terminal building.
Car Parking charges will be as follows:
- Hourly rate of QAR 10 (up to first 5 hours)
- Each additional hour or any part thereof will be QAR 5 each (up to 24 hours)
- Each 24 hours – QAR 145
- Payment can be made by cash or card.
As for transportation, multiple bus routes connect the departures terminal to the city via the Al Matar Al Qadeem metro station on the Red Line, which is 600 metres away.
