Chairman of Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority said the country is on track to open its new $14bn international airport. Qatar is the world’s biggest gas exports and is looking for ways to stimulate employment and diversify government revenues. Adul Aziz Al Noami said “The new $14bn airport will be over 22km and open in 2011.” Qatar is competing with Dubai and Abu Dhabi to become a transit hub for the Gulf, and has spent billions of dollars on infrastructure development to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons.
Flagship carrier Qatar Airways currently has nearly 70 planes, plans to add another 42 within four years, and has orders for over 220 planes worth $40bn. Qatar Airways ordered 24 A320 planes from Airbus at the Paris Air Show and said deliveries will begin by the end of 2009, and will be completed by 2012.
