The “soft” opening of the Hamad International Airport (HIA) will take place in January next year, HE the Transport Minister Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti said.
Some flights will be operated from the new airport on a “trial” basis after the soft opening, the minister told journalists after inaugurating the three-day Qatar International Exhibition for Transport and Logistics at the Doha Exhibitions Centre.
Al-Sulaiti said the cargo complex at the new airport would be ready for opening on December 1.
“After that other halls will be opened in a phased manner,” he said, adding that a number of people were working round the clock now to finish different facilities at the new airport.
The minister said Qatar had been witnessing “a number of developments” in its transport and infrastructure sectors and they would contribute significantly to the country’s growth in the next decade.
The minister said that considering the growing importance of the transport sector, the government had made a “remarkably good allocation” for its increasing activities.
To boost the activities in the logistics industry, several reforms have been put in place at different levels. The formation of the Qatar Freight Solutions Committee is one such initiative which, the minister said, would solve most of the issues being faced by importers at the Customs level.
Gulf Times
27 November
