Hamad International Airport which has turned into the busiest airport in the Middle East has also been recognised as the best airport in the world, an achievement bringing a sense of pride for Qatar and its citizens.
This achievement no doubt will enhance international travellers trust in the world-class facility. Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been recognised as the ‘Best Airport in the World 2021”, by Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.
The 2021 World Airport Awards recognise the efforts of global airports in adapting and meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The past 18 months have been the most challenging and financially difficult period ever experienced by the world air transport industry, and airports have invested to provide the safest possible environment for their customers and staff during the global pandemic.
“A truly remarkable achievement for HIA and the State of Qatar, and an endorsement from our travellers for our commitment to service excellence,” Engr Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer, said on the achievement. Last month, ForwardKeys, a prominent travel analytics organisation, reported that Hamad International Airport (HIA) was the busiest airport in the Middle East.
HIA had secured this position by safeguarding its airport experience with its adherence to COVID-19 policies and protocols, and introduction of technological solutions. HIA is also going through massive expansion nowadays.
The expansion of the current phase, which will end next year, will serve to receive guests of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Last month, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani had toured Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport to see the expansion and development projects at the two airports. At HIA, His Excellency listened to a summary from senior officials about the multi-stage expansion plans that are being implemented at the airport as part of the master plan of the airport project.
It includes the Passenger Terminal, Duty Free, and the West Side, including taxiways, aircraft parking, baggage handling and fuel terminals. In June this year, Hamad International Airport had been re-certified by the leading standards body, BSI (British Standards Institution), for its successful compliance with the safety and hygiene measures issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Civil Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART). CART was developed to mitigate the health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the global aviation industry and provides practical and aligned guidance to industry stakeholders for the safe recovery of air travel.
