With a considerable amount of the oil money going to construction, it is little wonder that the city of Doha is one of the fastest developing in the Middle East today. At the same time, a lot of money is also going into infrastructure development as evidenced by the opening of the Hamad International Airport in April 2014. Until then, Doha airport was the main commercial airport in Qatar. This airport has more than 55 check-in counters and more than 40 aircraft parking bays and a good number of baggage claim belts.
They say that the main problem at this airport is overuse, and maybe that is understandable considering that it was the only airport until recently. But their quality of service is very good and perhaps that is why everyone loves traveling with Qatar Airways. The latest figures indicate that Doha International Airport has had an immense increase of almost 14% in passengers in the last two months, as compared to the previous months.
This airport is under immense pressure to become the central aviation hub in the Middle East region in a bid to embrace the rapid growth in Qatar. The airport prides itself in being one of the most proactive aviation hubs in the Middle East region with the capacity to handle up to, or even more than3 a million passengers every month. For the year 2014 January to May, the airport processed more than 10 million passengers.
Once you land at Doha airport, you will enjoy various services and facilities such as free Wi-Fi, posh lounges, and access to car rental services. In addition, there are various accommodation facilities around the airport. Interestingly, you can also sleep at the departure airport. Locate the ‘quiet zone’ sign and ask for a blanket. Just how thoughtful is that?
The customer care desk runs 24/7 and in the unfortunate event that you miss your flight, you need not worry because the friendly staff will assist you to the very end. For food and drinks, there are first-class coffee shops and eateries within the airport.
Other facilities to enjoy at the Doha International airport include:
- Cash machines and exchange bureaus for major currencies such as USD, Dirham, Euros, Rupees, and Qatari Riyals
- Equipped play areas for children
- 24-hour eateries and coffee shops
- Prayer lounges throughout the airport for both men and women
- Smoking zones in secluded parts of the airport such as the transit and departure halls
- Ample and secure luggage storage and lockers
- Shower rooms with hot and cold water for passengers who feel the need to freshen up
- Relaxation area with comfortable lounging seats
- 24/7 information desk
- Cyber cafes at strategic places within the airport
If you are looking for temporary accommodation as a tourist, browse through the available options. There are both mid-range and high-end hotels around Doha International Airport. For instance, the Oryx Rotana Airport Hotel which is located within the airportoffers free transport around the airport.
If you are looking for a hotel that is not necessarily within the airport but is within a short radius, you might want to consider Doha Marriott, which is just a stone’s throw away from the airport. Unlike the Oryx Rotana Airport hotel, this hotel does not provide shuttle services back and forth from the airport. Alternatively, you could opt for the Al Liwan Suites, which is only a 5-minute drive from the airport and offers free transfers.
Terminals
The departure and transfer terminal is the biggest because it handles all Qatar Airways(economy class flights) and all the other airlines that use this airport. This terminal has been expanded several times in the past to cater to the ever-growing number of flights and passengers.
The arrival terminal on the other hand is capable of processing 2770 passengers per hour. This is where transfers, hotel and car rentals are arranged, luggage processed, and so forth. Doha international airport is no doubt one of the busiest airports in this region. This is divided into terminals A and B, where Terminal A is used by Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong following a special agreement between the two. The rest of the airlines that use Doha Airport are processed through terminal B.
The premium terminal has six gates and it is used to process first-class and business-class, passengers.
Very many airlines can be found here including Delta Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways, Saudia, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Gulf Air and of course, Qatar Airways. There are many more.