QATAR. Hamad International Airport has welcomed 120 million passengers since it opened on 27 May 2014 until the end of 2017.
The airport posted a recovery in passenger numbers with an average monthly increase of +3.75% in the second half of year, after the initial drop in volume in June 2017 due to the restrictions imposed on the country by several Gulf states.
The Qatari gateway attributed its resilience to new strategic partnerships and combined efforts to promote tourism with Qatar Airways and Qatar Tourism Authority.
The national carrier accelerated its global expansion last year with the launch of 10 new destinations. Qatar Tourism Authority’s efforts to allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries has made Qatar the most ‘open country’ in the region, the airport company said.
Hamad International was recognised by OAG’s 2017 Punctuality Report as the second most punctual major airport globally, scoring 85.41% for on-time performance. It welcomed several new airlines in 2017 including: Oman’s SalamAir; Kuwait’s Al Wataniya Airlines and Jazeera Airways; Bangladesh’s Regent Airways and US Bangla; and Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo.
“Hamad International Airport is a very resilient and busy airport with a clear vision enabling operational excellence, a solid growth strategy managed by a talented team committed to provide the best travel experience, in addition to joining forces with a world class airline,” said Chief Operating Officer Mohammed Al Meer.
“Its strategic geographical location at the crossroads of the eastern and western part of the world gives [the airport] a strong competitive advantage.
“At Hamad International Airport we aim to offer a safe and seamless experience for our customers travelling through the airport and will continue to put the passenger at the core of our strategy and our investments.”
Partnerships and achievements
Al Meer hailed the airport as one of the fastest-growing hubs in the world. “Since its opening in 2014, Hamad International Airport’s overall achievements are unmatched by any other airport in the region,” he said.
The airport has strengthened its partnerships in sports and culture including the Platinum sponsorship of German football team FC Bayern München. In partnership with Qatar Museums, it is set to launch a series of guided tours of iconic artworks by local and international artists displayed at the airport to promote tourism in the country.
Two important strategic partnerships building on Hamad International’s Smart Airport Vision were signed last year. The first was a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to enable the airport’s digital transformation, in May 2017. A partnership with global IT provider SITA will trial and improve passenger processing solutions. The airport is now part of the SITA club composed of 400 global air transport industry members.
Finally, the airport’s environmental protection strategy reached Level 3 ‘Optimisation’ status in the Airports Council International Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.
In the first quarter of 2018, Hamad International is set to launch a new art piece by New York, Brooklyn-based pop-culture artist KAWS and is working on new global partnerships to build on its passenger experience.
The airport is on track for the projected increase in traffic volumes and is working towards achieving the “Best Airport in the World” accolade at the 2018 Skytrax World Airport Awards. Last year, it was ranked Sixth Best Airport in the World by Skytrax, moving up four places from 2016. Hamad International was also among just six airports classified as a five-star operation.
