Will both Doha airports be connected?

[newscaster]

Didn't know they are so close by, are there any plans to keep the current airport and connect it to the new one, would it be viable?

Map http://w0.fast-meteo.com/stnlocationmaps/Doha-International-Airport-1.12.gif

[Mister Warning]

No............. roads between the 2 above ground.

[Saratogapp]

The two are actually across the road from each other. My immediate past employer (Bechtel) has been building the new one for TEN years and it's still not finished! While Bechtel have been rooting around, my long time friend and colleague Joe Sarlak, has built a beautiful big hangar across the street at the "old" airport. All designed in Australia.

[newscaster]

So they cant do things like at AMS and other airports with under passes and the like?

[ironbutt57]

Given the unique driving "technique"..an underwater tunnel would be a "tunnelling inferno" just waiting to happen....

[Dubaian]

It's not so much a road between them as a brand new, major multi-lane highway. Complete with grade-segregated junctions etc.
Yes you could tunnel under that - but the old airport is basically well past it's sell-by date (mystery bus tours to/from every single aircraft, no sky bridges, (temporary) Arrivals and old Departures building a few kilometers apart (more buses), very near built-up areas.... flight path to the north obstructing the construction of a very tall tower in West Bay, what did I miss ...??) so the 'planning' was for the completely new airport mainly on reclaimed land to be a 100% + replacement with no need to keep much if any of the old one in service.
As posted above it's just a bit late in opening ..... any offers when?

[777AV8R]

Scheduled for limited operation at the end of April. International traffic only.

As for joining the two...not gonna happen. The two airports will remain open. Current OTBD will serve military and some exec. ops.

[casablanca]

Also believe the land between the 2 airports is going to be used for the future Metro station....

[Mister Warning]

777av8r - International flights only?
Every flight from Doha is international! (excluding some chopper flights to the rigs).
And old airport is closing to build a football stadium for 2022.

[777AV8R]

Well, then I'll clarify...true on international however; and the list:

Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Fly Dubai
Air Arabia
Iran Air
Air India Express
Yemenia Yemen Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Nepal Airlines
Syrian Airlines
Pegasus Airlines

[ynwa]

Does anyone know the new date set for QR to move to H.I.A?
I did read somewhere late last year that the possible date would be
mid-July of this year. Of course this doesn't make any sense, to move your ops during peak season!
As for the new soft opening date (30 April), this has only be posted in
the QCAA website. No formal announcement has been made so far by
H.I.A.

[thinkofdolphins]

This looks relatively formal:

A0170/14 - HAMAD INTL AIRPORT WILL BE OPERATIONAL ON 30 APR 2014 AT 0400 UTC.
ONLY RUNWAY 16L/34R WILL BE OPERATIONAL. PILOTS ARE REMINDED TO
EXERCISE CAUTION NOT TO CONFUSE WITH THE OTHER NON-OPERATIONAL
RUNWAY 16R/34L AND THE RUNWAY IN USE AT DOHA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. 30 APR 04:00
2014 UNTIL 28 MAY 23:59 2014. CREATED: 10 APR 06:43 2014

[Neptune262]

Qatar can do underpasses / tunnels - and is even planning to do this :rolleyes::

PHOTOS: More details emerge about Sharq Crossing project - Doha News (http://dohanews.co/photos-details-emerge-sharq-crossing-project/)
Sharq Crossing construction to commence in 2015 (Updated) - Doha News (http://dohanews.co/ashghal-sharq-crossing-construction-to-commence-in-2015/)


Ultimate plans appear to be to close DIA and operate only from HIA - but there are transition phases that will last for an unstated period with only some airlines starting from HIA at end of April.

New April 30 soft launch date set for Hamad International Airport - Doha News (http://dohanews.co/new-april-30-soft-launch-date-set-hamad-international-airport/)

This confirmed by thinkofdolphins.

No publicly stated date for QR move as yet.

casablanca - yes that seems to be the present plan, as ground works appear to have started for the metro

[Airmann]

Dolphin. That NOTAM is only valid until the 28May. I wonder if that means anything? Perhaps a full blown opening?

[Dubaian]

Re the Metro - there is already a huge empty 'box-out' somewhere under the new HIA for the Metro station.

[ynwa]

Airmann. Perhaps the NOTAM expiry date 28 May is allowing room for
a further delay? I do agree the NOTAM is a good indication but
of course as we all know NOTAMs can be modified and cancelled at any
moment..
thinkofdolphins. Was aware of the NOTAM but forgot about it, thanks for posting!

[Neptune262]

Update from today:

All airlines told to operate out of new Qatar airport starting May 27 - Doha News (http://dohanews.co/new-doha-airport-open-airlines-may-27th/)

That maybe why the NOTAM expires on the 28th - Airmann gets the gold star for crystal ball gazing! :ok:

Nothing else official yet.....