At a largely attended press meet during the Dubai Air Show, Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways, which operates Doha International Airport, announced that as a first step, global consultancy, Bechtel, has completed the Masterplan for the new Doha International Airport.

"Not only Qatar and the Gulf, but the entire world has been inquiring about details of the project since it was formally announced at the World Travel Market in London on 10 November. Interest has been overwhelming and gratifying — especially from construction majors who have been clamouring for information about the progress of the signature development in Qatar," Al Baker said.

"Construction companies will soon be able to bid for more than $2.5 billion worth of tenders for the first phase of Qatar''s new signature Doha International Airport, which will be developed as a major aviation hub for traffic between Far East-Australasia and Europe-North America, with an ultimate capacity of 50 million passengers," he added.

The US-based construction and engineering company Bechtel has just completed the master plan and once tendered will be split into 18 construction packages during the next 60 months. Al Baker also announced that UK-based BAE Systems will be advisor to the airline during the Masterplan phase.

He said during the 60-month phase-one period of the new development, the airport — half of which will be reclaimed from the sea — will have a capacity of 12 million passengers.