The Qatari Company for Airports Operation and Management (Matar) has begun forging relationships with certain airports with a view to expanding the firm’s investment, management and operational capabilities overseas.

The development emerged during an exclusive interview conducted during the recent TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes with Hamad International Airport (HIA) Chief Operating Officer Badr Mohammed Al Meer.

[Click below to view video].

More information on those associations was not immediately available – an announcement is expected soon – although it is likely these will be greenfield hubs.

DISCUSSIONS ONGOING

Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) signed a contract with Qatar’s Matar for the management, operation and maintenance of Hamad International Airport earlier this year.

In the interview, Al Meer says Matar is built on four pillars, including operating and maintaining Doha International Airport; operating and maintaining HIA; managing growth capacity at HIA and supporting that growth via the development of flag carrier Qatar Airways.

“The fourth pillar is to start investing in other international airports, by participating in design, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of international airports,” Al Meer stated.

“We have already started this and have spent some time developing partnerships with certain airports.”

PHASE TWO EXPANSION DETAIL TO ANNOUNCE…

On home soil, the airport is expected to reveal further information on its ambitious phase two expansion plans to an audience of real estate developers and investors at Cityscape Qatar (22 October-24 October). Stay close to TRBusiness for further updates to this story.

The project, which caters to Qatar Airways’ growth and the forthcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, is slated to commence construction in Q1 2020, with all contracts due to be awarded by the end of this year.

Once it completes – Q1 2022 is the expectation and an ambitious one at that given the tournament starts in just shy of 36 months  – the airport will be able to accommodate more than 53 million passengers annually.

The airport will host an attractive indoor garden and additional food, beverage, and retail space.

In tandem will be the construction of an airport city, a free trade zone, office and business complex, landscape area, hospitality services and a new cargo terminal.

The development of HIA remains a vital artery of success for the Qatar Airways Group, as the airport prepares to welcome millions of international travellers to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup.

This year, the airport has posted growth in every quarter to date, most recently recording its busiest summer on record with 10.7m (+10.7%), and it is expecting double-digit growth in 2019.

HIA will host The Trinity Forum, which takes place in Doha next week (30-31 October) at The St. Regis Doha, with partners Qatar Duty Free and Qatar Airways.

The Trinity Forum is a joint venture between The Moodie Davitt Report, ACI World and ACI Asia-Pacific.

For more on Hamad International Airport, watch out for the November issue of TRBusiness and stay close to TRBusiness.com and via Twitter for live coverage from The Trinity Forum.

More to follow…