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QATAR. In the latest edition of Travel Retail TV on The Moodie Report, Peter Marshall interviews Akbar Al Baker, the remarkable CEO and Chairman of Qatar Airways who talks about his driving ambition for the country’s airline, airport and duty free sectors.
Under Al Baker’s direction, a grand scale investment is taking place at Doha International Airport. Besides a big retail refurbishment completed in November, the airline is expanding its fleet and number of routes, and planning and space allocation is already underway for a new airport, due to open in 2008.
This level of growth and investment is a reflection of that taking place throughout Qatar, which is now viewed as a major business and leisure destination. Hosting numerous sporting events, such as the Asian Games in 2006, Qatar is developing into a high-end destination, and Al Baker and his team are determined to have a national gateway and retail offer to match.
Phase one of the new airport will offer a capacity of 12 million passengers a year. Al Baker says a second phase, which will lift the airport’s capacity to 50 million passengers a year, will be completed by 2015.
Duty free operations at Doha International Airport are run by Qatar Duty Free, with Aer Rianta International-Middle East operating the shops under a management contract.
Interview by Peter Marshall, Director of Marshall Lightfoot.
