The Civil Aviation Authority of Qatar is planning to send a top level delegation to Dubai 2005 - the ninth international aerospace exhibition being held in November - as the country looks to source the latest technology for the New Doha International Airport (NDIA).The delegation will be headed by Abdul Aziz Mohamed Al-Noaimi, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of the NDIA Steering Committee and Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways, which will manage the new airport.

“We will be at this show looking for all the latest technology across a range of airport requirements including security, check-in, immigration and baggage handling,” said Al-Noaimi.

“The New Doha International Airport will be state-of-the-art and we will be looking for exhibitors at the Dubai air show to demonstrate what equipment and services can meet our requirements not just for the immediate future but also for the decade to come.”

Construction work on the NDIA, which spans 1,700 hectares approximately four kilometres east of the existing Doha International, is already under way. The facility is aimed at positioning Qatar as an international gateway, a hub for the national carrier Qatar Airways and as a cargo and aircraft maintenance centre.

Scheduled to open in 2009 at a cost of US $2.5 billion in the first phase, NDIA is designed to handle 12 million passengers a year and 750,000 tonnes of cargo. Once completed in 2015 at a cost of US $5.5 billion, the airport is expected to handle up to 50 million passengers and 2 million tonnes of cargo a year. It is the first airport in the world to be designed and built to handle, amongst others, the new Airbus A380-800 double-decker super jumbo for which Qatar Airways is a launch customer.

Dubai 2005 organisers Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E) welcomed news of the Qatar delegation saying it was the first step in an enhanced delegations programme planned for the show, which will be held at the Airport Expo Dubai from November 20-24.

“The Dubai air show’s delegations programme has long been recognised as one of the best in the industry and plans for 2005 are to develop it even further, where possible, with the assistance of the Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and the UAE Ministry of Defence who have led the way in this approach,” said Clive Richardson, Chief Executive, Aerospace Division, F&E.

“The ambitious plans for NDIA open up a wealth of opportunities for suppliers along with other major civil aviation development programmes in the Gulf, including the expansion and redevelopment of Sharjah International and plans for the launch of the Jebel Ali City Airport in Dubai.”

So far, exhibitors from 28 countries have signed on for Dubai 2005, which will be held in an expanded Airport Expo Dubai and will have a third hall and provision for an additional nine, double-storey chalets. The show also has commitments from 13 national or industry pavilions including, for the first time, Turkey.
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