Hamad International Airport (HIA) has reportedly served a total of 9.16 million passengers and handled 56,573 aircraft movements and 505,581 tonnes of cargo in total, from January to March 2019.
HIA has served 3,175,316 passengers in January, 2,844,241 in February and 3,147,683 in March, which includes passengers arriving, departing and transferring through the airport, a 5.07% increase from the previous year. The airport also handled 19,458 aircraft movements in January, 17,563 movements in February and 19,552 movements in March, including aircraft take-offs and landings, marking an 8.27% increase from the first quarter of 2018. HIA also handled 505,581 tonnes of cargo in the first quarter of 2019, with 160,218 tonnes in January, 154,168 tonnes in February and 191,194 tonnes in March.
According to Engineer Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA, the strong start to 2019 illustrates HIA’s accelerated and sustained growth.
As we continue to witness this steady growth, we are committed more than ever to empower our passengers and continue to provide them with a seamless and hassle-free journey at the airport. HIA operations will see an increased investment in cutting edge technology to help shape the future of the passenger experience in 2019.’
The first quarter of 2019 has seen a successful start for Qatar’s five-star airport, having received multiple awards and accolades at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019 this March. The airport ranked the fourth ‘Best Airport in the World’, moving up one place from last year. HIA was also awarded the title of ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fourth year in a row.
Expansion Plans
HIA has also embarked on the second phase of its expansion plans early this year, which will aim to accommodate 53 million passengers annually at the airport by 2022. The expansion plans will further see an increase in cargo capacity to three million tonnes per year.
In addition to physical capacity enhancements, HIA expects improvements in operational efficiency, increasing automation to allow 50% of passengers perform self-check-in; increase in airspace capacity; and optimised baggage handling processes.
The expansion is a key part of Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup where the country expects to witness a large number of visitors to watch the global sporting event. In addition to the immediate benefits of increased space and capacities, the airport will witness the construction of an Airport City which will provide significant future investment opportunities – including a free trade zone, office and business complex and hotels, among others.
For updates and more information about HIA, visit dohahamadairport.com.