Hamad International Airport (HIA), in cooperation with Qatar Airways and Qatar Aviation Services (QAS), gave a VIP tour of the award-winning airport recently to a group of children with special needs from the Qatar Institute for Speech and Hearing (QISH) Rehabilitation Centre.

The special tour, which featured a behind-the-scenes look at the vast terminal and a visit on board one of Qatar Airways’ state-of-the-art Airbus A380 aircraft, was organised to showcase the services available at the terminal for people with special needs.

QISH VIP tour at HIA

The ten children, aged five to ten years old, were accompanied by their caregivers and enjoyed an exclusive puppet show and a specially-provided lunch. They were also given gifts by Qatar Duty-Free as a reminder of their amazing day.

Speaking about the tour, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said that flying is a magical experience for most children and they were delighted to be able to show the very special guests their biggest aircraft and have them experience the amazing plane themselves.

All our customers are special to us, especially our younger passengers and those with special needs. We are pleased to be able to demonstrate the care we offer customers requiring special assistance, so they too can enjoy our award-winning five-star service.’

Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Engineer Badr Mohammed Al Meer said that it is paramount to HIA that every single passenger travelling through their terminal, especially those with special needs, experiences the five-star services.

Tours like these are important for our passengers with special needs, to help them become familiar with the exciting experience of air travel. We are happy to have this opportunity to showcase how travel can be a pleasant experience for the entire community.”

QISH Rehabilitation Centre Chairman of the Board Sheikh Jassim bin Thamer Al Thani extends his gratitude to HIA and Qatar Airways for their generous hospitality of our children.

As members of the community, we appreciate the airport’s guarantee that every single child received five-star service.’

During their visit on board the A380, the children were given specially-created Children’s Packs designed to help keep them entertained during their journey.

HIA offers entirely barrier-free access, dedicated facilities and trained ground staff to make travelling more comfortable for passengers who require additional assistance. Special handling lounges are also available throughout the airport terminal for the comfort of passengers with special needs. The extended services provided by HIA to children and all passengers with special needs ensures that every passenger experiences a seamless and comfortable journey.

QISH VIP tour at HIA

Qatar Airways also offers assistance for customers with special needs, including those with wheelchairs. As well as having aircraft equipped with reduced mobility facilities, such as seats with movable armrests, hand rails in lavatories, and special onboard wheelchairs, the airline’s specially-trained crew also offers safety briefings and assistance to those with visual or hearing impairments during the flight.