The New Doha International Airport should/might open soon(ish)

The inside of the terminal is getting finished but I'm not quite sure what the giant teddy bear is for. Any thoughts, inside info?

Probably the managing director...

Will it open this year? Eh, no.

Will it open next year, possibly...but you never know..

Is it better than the current dump! Hopefully!....but you never know..

The ATC contract starts sometime 2014 and it won't open before then.
WTF is that black thing on it's head?

No idea what it is. Weird looking and weighs a ton apparently.

What is the ATC contract?

The contract to provide Air Traffic Control services, my company got it and are advertising for controllers to work there. Once they've been trained.

*shudder*

???????????

It's not an easy job, without responsibility is it?

Could you train anyone to do it?

I just have images of how hard it might be to train people for it.

OIC! Not anyone can do it, you have to have the aptitude and it's very difficult to find the 'perfect' aptitude test. Out of 100 that apply roughly one will get through to obtaining a licence.
The staff that will be employed are not ab initio. They'll all have completed a recognised course and obtained their professional licence, then gone on to an airport where they'll obtain endorsements for the various licensed roles. They have to have 3 years of airport experience before coming to the ME.
So they're quite well trainied/qualified already, they just need to learn the wrinkles for working in the ME which should only be a couple of months if the simulator is ready.

Good to hear.

I fail miserably at the airport app where you make the planes unload and refuel and take off.

I'd be a terrible ATCller

There's more chance of me buying an apartment here than that airport opening this year .

It's only 4 years late and 4 billion US over budget !

still don't get the teddy with a lamp wedged in its skull

I'm not sure of what will happen, nobody does. It does seem that some operations may take place toward the end of the year. take your pick of 11/12/13 or 18 Dec (again!) Cannot think this will be more than 'some' cargo services and perhaps a few LCC flights. I wouldn't expect to see the main QA operation move in for about 2 years.