and a new airport for Doha by 2006?
From Middle East News Online(31/7):
"National carrier Qatar Airways has taken delivery of a second Airbus A330-200 aircraft at a ceremony held at the Farnborough Air Show in the UK recently. The new aircraft will be operated on the European destinations including Frankfurt and Milan, Qatar Airways said yesterday.
Qatar Airways had taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200 in May. The aircraft is now being operated on regional routes as well as the London-Doha sector. The new Airbus A330-200 was earlier flown to Farnborough from the Airbus Industrie Toulouse plant in France.
Also on display at the Farnborough show was Qatar Airways Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) A319, for which the airline was the launch customer.
Qatar's national carrier and flagbearer is also a launch customer for the Airbus super jumbo A380.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker said: "We want to showcase the latest addition to our fleet to the discerning visitors to the air show which is one of the most important fairs for the aviation industry".
Qatar Airways, as part of its ambitious growth plan, will raise an exclusive fleet of eight Airbus A330-200 aircraft, he said. Qatar Airways ambitious growth plan involves doubling its fleet strength from the current 16 to 30 and raising the number of destinations from 35 to over 60 by 2004-end.
Meanwhile, the $20mn work on revamping the arrival terminal at the airport is fast progressing, the airline said.
Qatar Airways, also the airport operator, will be building the new Doha International Airport, located to the east of the present airport, at a cost of $1bn.
The new airport will be ready before 2006 in time for the Doha Asiad that year, it said.
Qatar Airways has the distinction of operating an all-Airbus fleet. Currently the airline has a fleet of 16 aircraft, including 7 Airbus A300-600 R, 7 Airbus A320 and one Airbus Corporate jetliner ACJ 319."