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Qatar Airways to launch $200m business terminal at Doha airport

The exclusive building, which is claimed to be the world's only dedicated first and business class terminal, will feature innovative facilities to provide its most loyal customers with the best levels of comfort and hospitality prior to flight.

Construction of the 10,000 square metre building began earlier this year at the site next to the main terminal at Doha International Airport. Due to open this summer, the terminal will be operational round-the-clock. According to Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, who briefed newsmen on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2006, the new terminal for premium passengers will be a big boost for Qatar Airways which manages and operates Doha International Airport.

The airline will also be responsible for the new premium class terminal, for exclusive use by Qatar Airways passengers departing for international flights. Access to the new terminal will be via a new road with ample parking space.

The new terminal development is part of a raft of improvements currently taking place at Doha International Airport, where the arrival and departure halls are being expanded to cope with the increasing number of passengers flying in and out of the airport.

An additional 21,000 square metres of space is being added to the existing airport terminal.

The number of boarding gates will be increased from 10 to 16.

There will be two additional immigration counters, new e-gates in arrival and departure to speed up processing of passengers and a sharp increase in the number of aircraft parking bays to ease the existing constraints and cope with the huge expansion of Qatar Airways fleet.

Al Baker, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Doha International Airport, said by early next year, the number of parking bays at Doha International Airport would more than double from 19 to 40.

Qatar Airways is the airport's largest customer, operating at least 90 per cent of flights.

The airline, which operates 46 all-Airbus jets, will boost its fleet by a further 18 aircraft and added that the airport's expansion would help facilitate the airline's growth. He said: "The airport expansion currently underway will significantly improve facilities and services at Doha International Airport. We fully understand the inconvenience being caused to passengers in Doha. There are currently capacity constraints at the airport, but we are working round-the clock to complete the terminal expansion." Dismissing rumours about his stepping down as head of Qatar Tourism, Al Baker said: "I'm very much the head of Qatar Tourism (although) sometimes I think it's not fair that I give more attention to the airline and the airport rather than tourism. But what I do for Qatar Airways and Doha International Airport is contributing to the development of Qatar tourism."