Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been ranked as the second-best airport in the world, along with winning titles for World’s Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport in the Middle East for the 9th time in a row, at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2023, hosted at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Amsterdam, The Netherlands this week.

The World Airport Awards are the most prestigious accolades for the airport industry, voted by customers in the largest annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.

HIA Chief Operating Officer Engineer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said they are pleased to receive the accolades from Skytrax and be voted as one of the world’s leading airports. He said this is a positive reflection of their robust airport operations and their team’s dedication.

Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted congratulated HIA for their success. He said that the past few years have been extremely challenging for airports worldwide, and as the country moves on from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is pleasing to see passenger numbers returning to normal and for HIA to be recognised as a leading airport by customers.

World Airport Awards

Operating since 2000, the World Airport Awards are independent and impartial and were introduced to provide a customer satisfaction study that is truly global in scope and coverage. They are regarded as the quality benchmark for the world airport industry, assessing customer service and facilities across more than 550 airports. The survey and awards are independent of any airport control or input.

The awards are based on the World Airport Survey questionnaires completed by airport customers of over 60 nationalities during the designated survey period to evaluate the customer experience.

One of the most prominent airports in the world

Since its opening in 2014, HIA has rapidly become one of the most prominent airports in the world, offering a wide range of services and facilities to passengers and welcoming them to an extraordinary destination. The airport has recently undergone a major expansion, which has seen the addition of a brand-new, state-of-the-art indoor tropical garden known as the ORCHARD along with new lounges and exclusive retail outlets.

With over 180 retail and dining options curated for all travellers under one roof, HIA features many industry firsts and exclusive shops – including a Fendi Boutique with the first Fendi Café in an airport, a Ralph’s Coffee Shop, an Oreo Café as well as a Harrods Tea Room.

In 2022, it witnessed a significant increase in passenger traffic, with a 101.9% year-on-year surge, making it a memorable year as the airport welcomed over 35 million passengers.

The airport also saw an increase in overall aircraft movements of 217,875, a 28.2% growth compared to 2021, and concluded 2022 with 44 airline partners operating to and from HIA – serving over 170 destinations around the world and concluding a hugely successful year as the Official Airport Partner of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

The airport continues to grow and connect global travellers through its world-class premises – offering exquisite options for passengers and businesses alike. In 2023, the airport proceeded into phase B of its growth plan, with plans of increasing its capacity to over 70 million passengers and constructing two new concourses within the existing terminal.

As part of the Qatar National Vision 2030, HIA also plans to enhance its sustainability efforts, by investing in new technologies and introducing industry firsts as it looks to sustain its dominance in the aviation industry.


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