Hamad International Airport Doha, Qatar
(Ranked No. 4)
Scoring 86.99 out of 100 in the Travel+Leisure awards, Hamad International also claimed the 5th best airport in the world title for 2018 from Skytrax. As far as wow factor goes, the building itself is incredible, boasting jaw dropping luxury and being called one of the most ‘architecturally significant’ terminals in the world. Voted ‘best airport in the Middle East’ from Skytrax, the most noticeable feature is the giant bronze teddy bear with his head in a lamp. Dubbed the ‘lamp bear’, the seven metre statue holds pride of place in the duty free area of the terminal. Created by a Swiss artist, the bear was purchased by a member of the Qatari royal Family for $6.8m.
Facilities
Terminal 1 Concourse A has 10 passenger gates connected to jet bridges and is located west of the check-in area and Main Terminal. Two of the gates are designed to accommodate the Airbus A380. Concourse B has 10 passenger gates connected to jet bridges and is located east of the check-in area. It has opened on April 30, 2014 with 10 airlines transferring operations over from Doha International Airport. Two of the gates are built to accommodate the Airbus A380. There is a small coffee shop located at the end of Concourse B, as well as smoking rooms, family areas, and an express duty-free store. Concourse C has 13 passenger gates connected to jet bridges, two of them built specifically for the Airbus A380. There are 10 remote gates without a fixed jet bridge link connected to Concourse C. This Concourse has opened on 27 May 2014. Concourse D Is fully operational. Gates 1–4 are on the first floor and Gates 18–24 on the ground floor. Concourse E Is fully operational.
Gates 1–4 are on the first floor and Gates 18–24 on the ground floor. Concourses D and E are due to be extended with a possible Concourse F although plans are still to be finalised. [13] Terminal 1 features First and Business Class lounges which were opened by Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker on 20 June 2014.
Lamp Bear
The most prominent figure inside the airport is a giant bronze statue of a teddy bear with its head in a lamp. The untitled sculpture, often known as "Lamp Bear", is one of three creations by Swiss artist Urs Fischer and is on display at the grand foyer of the airport's duty-free shopping hall. Standing at seven meters tall and weighing approximately 18-20 tons, the statue was previously displayed at the Seagram Building's plaza in New York City before being purchased by a member of the Qatari royal family at a Christie's auction for US$6.8 million. In 2018 the airport added a new sculpture in their terminal, called Small Lie by American artist Kaws which was a donation from the Qatar Museum. Planned Terminal 2 Qatar plans to build a second terminal only if the present passenger growth outnumbers the projected figures. This appears to be more certain because some articles say that terminal two is a confirmed project due to the anticipated passenger load from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Runways
The airport has two parallel runways, located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from each other, which are designed for simultaneous take-offs and landings. The first is 4,850 m × 60 m (15,910 ft × 200 ft) and is considered to be the longest runway in Western Asia, and also one of the longest runways in the world. The second runway is 4,250 m × 60 m (13,940 ft × 200 ft). World Class Cargo Facilities at Hamad International Airport Five Star Services are not just for.
Passengers
At the forefront of global cargo innovations is the new facility at HIA that commenced its operations on 1 December, 2013. Boasting one of the most sophisticated cargo terminals in the industry, HIA is a platform for the expanding global freight business, enabling Qatar Airways Cargo to provide seamless and efficient services to customers and cargo carriers around the world. The new cargo handling facility promises to set new standards of service and quality not only to the Gulf region, but the wider world. Located in the midfield area, HIA´s cargo terminal has a capacity to process 1.4 million tonnes of cargo per year. The two-floor cargo facility incorporates warehouse spaces, Automated Systems / Retrieval Systems mezzanine, offices and shops. The split-level facility covers 55,000 square metres, boasting 11 wide-body Freighter aircraft stands and 42 Airside loading docks. Additionally, 31 landside truckloading facilities will enable the swift and efficient transfer of cargo in and out of Qatar. With advanced scanning technology it will ensure the complete safety and security of the facility, its staff and cargo.
Innovative Services
As an industry leader, Qatar Airways Cargo offers the fastest global aircraft transfer at Doha through its Quick Ramp Transfer (QRT) solution. It is the only carrier in the Middle East to offer refrigerated or ‘reefer’ truck services for ramp transfers at its home hub. Sensitive commodities are collected from and delivered directly to the aircraft by specialised temperature controlled vehicles, in an effort to ensure the cool chain process is seamless, thereby eliminating risk to temperature exposure. The recently introduced solution for pharmaceuticals - QR Pharma and perishables - QR Fresh will add to the substantial range of cargo solutions already available. The new facility will further enhance capacity and flexibility to effectively move sensitive commodities, in line with the highest world-class standards.
A Flexible Facility for a Growing Market
The new facility is designed to cope with future growth and its
ambitious plans aim to increase overall cargo capacity by 75 per cent. The new system will be capable of simultaneously handling 5,700 shipments and up to 1.4 million tonnes of cargo annually. This will then increase to 2.8 million upon completion of second terminal.
Restful and Relaxing Journey for Animals
The live animal centre spans over 4,200 square metres and provides temporary accommodation and inspection of live large and small animals, such as horses, camels, dogs, cats, fish and fowl. The facility includes veterinary inspections, a paddock for horses to exercise and much more. The centre provides the animals with a stress- free journey where they are able to rest and relax before and after the flight, under specialist supervision. In addition, the new facility will enable stop-over services for horses on scheduled services. Seamless Cool Chain The cold chain can be described as "the seamless movement of fresh, chilled or frozen products, from the production area to the market, through various storage and transport mediums, without any change in the optimum storage temperature and relative humidity". The Doha Cargo hub operates in accordance to the highest Pharmaceutical Industry Standards. Compliant with ‘Good Distribution Practice’ ( GDP), it offers quality assurance that ensures shipments are consistently stored, transported and handled under suitable conditions as required by the product specification. Our Climate Control team proactively monitor your pharmaceutical and perishable shipments from end to end, to ensure the cool chain process is seamless. Main features at the Hub are the Quick Ramp Transfer (QRT) transportation between ramp and warehouse with temperature controlled vehicles that provide protection from extreme conditions during transportation, temperature controlled handling and storage at the HIA cargo terminal in the appropriate temperature zone and 64 temperature-controlled positions for units requiring refrigeration. Please visit Qatar Airways Cargo website for more information.