Hamad International Airport (HIA) was recognised as the Best Airport in the World 2021, ranking number one on Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.
HIA has been steadily rising up the ‘World’s Best Airports’ ranking since the start of its operations in 2014. It was also awarded Best Airport in the Middle East, Best Airport 25 to 35 million Passengers, Best Airport Staff in the Middle East, and COVID-19 Airport Excellence.
HIA Chief Operating Officer Engineer Badr Mohammed Al Meer said that this is a truly remarkable achievement for HIA and the State of Qatar, and an endorsement from travellers for their commitment to service excellence.
HIA continues to serve as a global benchmark for airports around the world, thanks to the dedication and collaboration of our team and stakeholders. HIA continues to be recognised by leading industry institutions also due to its crisis preparedness, business continuity, agility, and effectiveness. As we look towards the future, HIA remains devoted to boosting our efforts in providing the best airport experience to all our passengers.
Skytrax Chief Executive Officer Edward Plaisted said that achieving this honour is very much a team effort.
Our congratulations go to the management, staff and stakeholders at Hamad International Airport that help make this happen.
As travel hubs worldwide have been impacted by the pandemic, Plaisted said that ‘HIA was undeterred by the global travel disruptions’ and continued with its expansion plans while introducing additional airport health and safety standards.
As the Official Airport Partner for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we wish Hamad International Airport every success in helping to host such a major event.
Resilient during COVID-19
HIA’s operational resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic is the result of strong stakeholder collaboration, technological adoptions and the hard work of its staff. HIA continued its operations to make sure the people of Qatar are reunited and connected with their loved ones, while globally delivering essential supplies and cargo to those in need. In addition, HIA prioritised a vaccination drive for all its staff to safeguard their health and the safety of passengers. HIA showcased a clear understanding of passenger needs in times of crisis by implementing new arrivals procedures for the people of Qatar to ensure a seamless and stress-free journey back home.
Despite the impact of the pandemic on the aviation industry, HIA’s robust strategy has been indispensable in the face of the global crisis. With internationally accredited pre-existing business continuity plans and cleaning and disinfection protocols, the airport was able to promptly adapt to the new normal and adjust its procedures while keeping the airport operational.
Owing to its forward-thinking strategic approach, HIA was one of the first airports in the world to implement thermal screening at key touchpoints and ensured the availability of sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout the terminal, whilst intensifying cleaning and disinfection protocols.
Foreseeing the critical need for facial masks at the onset of the health crisis, HIA searched for a solution to ensure the compliance of wearing face masks. HIA’s internal teams developed their very own automated facial detection system in-house using computer vision and artificial intelligence to ensure the safety and wearing of masks for all its staff.
Amidst travel restrictions, HIA was able to identify and procure innovative solutions to cope with the pandemic in record time. HIA teams worked with partners and providers to develop custom-made products specifically for the airport, such as Smart Screening Helmets that enable contactless temperature measurement, and autonomous disinfectant robots, which are fully automated mobile devices emitting concentrated UV-C light that are deployed in high passenger flow areas to reduce the spread of microorganisms. HIA’s passenger experience was also safeguarded with touchless capabilities, such as contactless self-check-in, self-bag-drop and terminal elevators.
Innovative response
HIA’s successful, adaptive, and innovative response was recognised by industry leading regulatory bodies such as British Standards Institution (BSI), which certified HIA for its Business Continuity Management System and its compliance with the safety and hygiene measures issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Civil Aviation Recovery Taskforce. In December 2020, HIA became the first in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating by Skytrax – a testament to the airport’s efforts, resilience, and operational excellence during the pandemic.
By staying operational throughout the pandemic, HIA entered the top ten global ranks in terms of international passenger traffic, rising from the 16th position in 2019 to 6th in 2020.
With preparations underway for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, as the Official Airport Partner for the much-anticipated global event, HIA’s expansion timeline remains uninterrupted, with Phase A due to be completed prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, which will see the airport’s capacity increase to 58 million passengers per year. Phase B of the expansion will commence post-FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and will increase capacity to more than 60 million passengers per year.
By serving passengers and airlines with excellence, adopting new procedures and innovative solutions, while simultaneously looking toward the future, Qatar’s airport has been an example to other airports around the world.
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