UPDATE: The opening of the new Hamad International Airport has apparently been delayed once again, this time for not adhering to Qatar safety standards. Find more information here.

—-

April Fool’s jokes aside, tomorrow will mark the opening of the new Hamad International Airport, with an inaugural Qatar Airways flight set to land at 12:20am.

The much-awaited HIA, originally slated to open three years ago, is a huge departure (pun intended) from the current, tiny Doha International Airport. When fully operational in 2020, the multi-terminal airport and related facilities will stretch across 29 square kilometers and handle some 50 million passengers a year.

Qatar Airways and several other larger carriers will not be making any other passenger flights out of HIA until at least the end of the year, when lounges, cafes and duty free shopping are expected to be completed.

Logistics

But 10 budget airlines that do not require lounges are slated to fly out of, and into, the airport tomorrow. They are: Air Arabia, flydubai, Air India Express, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Iran Air, Nepal Airlines, Pakistan International Airline, RAK Airways, Syrian Air and Yemen Airways.

In terms of logistics, parking will be available in the short term car park in front of the passenger terminal complex on the east side, Gulf Times reports. Passengers will be able board and disembark at the gate, which means no more shuttling to and from the plane.

Buses, however, will take transfer passengers to and from the HIA and Doha International Airport.

UPDATE: Here are maps of the airport and the arrivals/departures terminals, via Gazanfarulla Khan.

Who’s planning to take a trip out of HIA this week?

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by JorisVand