Qatar Airways to build 100 houses for tsunami victims

by Shirajiv Sirimane

Qatar Airways which operates 14 scheduled flights a week between Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, and the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, has decided to construct 100 houses for the tsunami affected families. "Twenty five houses would be handed over to families next month," said CEO Akbas Al Baker.

The Colombo flights offer convenient connections to destinations across the Qatar Airways global network stretching from London, Paris and Vienna to Dubai, Athens, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Qatar Airways currently flies to 66 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East and Indian Subcontinent. The Kenyan capital Nairobi joins the network on November 15, followed a month later by Berlin as the airline's third German destination.

He said the Airline would be sponsoring 75% while the staff contributes 25% for the cost of the project. This is the only project of this nature undertaken by the Airline," the CEO said.

Meanwhile construction work has officially begun today of the New $5.5bn Doha International Airport (NDIA) with a ground-breaking ceremony at the heart of the construction site in the State of Qatar.

NDIA is scheduled to open in 2009 at a cost of $2.5bn in the first phase and will be capable of handling 12 million passengers a year, together with 750,000 tonnes of cargo. Once fully developed in 2015 at a cost of $5.5bn, the airport is expected to handle upto 50 million passengers and 2 million tonnes of cargo a year.

One of the project's key features is that 40% of the site will be built on reclaimed land from the Arabian Gulf. Qatar Airways will manage the new airport, designed to help shape Doha as a key regional and global aviation hub.