New airports that will surprise you, and why
Name: Hamad International Airport
City: Doha, Qatar
What’s new: Everything. The $15.5 billion stunner will replace the current international airport in Doha.
When: April 1, 2013
What’s in it for you:
● All boarding gates will be connected to the flights via aerobridges. That means no long waits for coaches to transport you to and from the aircraft.
● Dedicated terminals for business and first class passengers.
● 150-odd passenger check-in stations (about 30 of which are for business and first class). So, you can look forward to a swift boarding procedure.
Watch out for: The second terminal will be built in time for the soccer world cup in 2022. By then, the first terminal will be used exclusively by national carrier Qatar Airways.
Name: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
City: Kolkata, India
What’s new: A five-level integrated passenger terminal; at present, it has launched only international operations, gradually domestic flights would shift to this plush building too.
Launch: January 20, 2013
What’s in it for you:
● Many more international connections: Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air and FlyDubai are eager to fly to the City of Joy.
Watch out for: The A380. The new Kolkata airport has an extended runway that can handle the landing of the Big Bird, whenever it happens.
Name: Dubai International Airport
(This story appears in the 22 March, 2013 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)