As the quadrennial international men’s football championship approaches, a top official expressed confidence that the country’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is all geared up for the mega-sporting event.
“We are ready, we have taken adequate measures to make sure that during the event, everything is in order. There are facilities available for any eventualities,” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker, said yesterday.
He was speaking at a plenary session on “Future of our Industry” at the IATA World Financial Symposium being held at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel. Al Baker continued: “With the kind of preparations we have, we are really ready.”
The Group Chief Executive also revealed that the Hamad International Airport expansion will be open by the middle of next month which will then increase the capacity of the airport to accommodate 58 million passengers a year. By next year, 2023, the final phase of the expansion will continue to increase the hub's capacity to handle 70 million passengers annually.
“To efficiently run an airport, with two runways, I think that is the kind of capacity to be able to sustain without being disruptive to passengers and impacting on quality of course.”
In a recent interview, Al Baker said that the expansion is a vital part of the future success of the Qatar Airways Group, and the country’s preparations to host the World Cup and beyond. “It is also a strong sign that Qatar’s economy is robust and acts as a further economic stimulus, providing excellent opportunities for local and international contractors.”
He also clarified that Qatar Airways is not taking advantage of the World Cup to increase their ticket prices.
“We haven’t taken advantage of the FIFA [World Cup Qatar 2022] to jack up our prices. Our prices are established in the system and people have to just pay the normal ticket prices we are charging, and as a matter of fact, we have capped pricing for the shuttle flights within the region.”
Al Baker also revealed their strategy during the World Cup to encourage shuttle flights between Qatar and neighbouring countries. “Qatar Airways, at the same time, will reciprocate those frequencies that the airlines from the region are going to operate.”
With regards to international traffic, he said Qatar Airways is encouraging various airlines to fly to Doha, including chartered flights.
“Our frequencies are reduced in order to make place for the foreign carriers and charters to come at the airport and be able to be handled.”
Qatar has been preparing to host the World Cup for 12 years and expects to welcome 1.2 million football fans during the tournament.
