Arab News, Tuesday, May 09, 2023 | Shawwal 19, 1444
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport Q1 passenger traffic rises 44.5%
Qatar: Qatar’s Hamad
International Airport recorded a year-on-year surge in passenger traffic of 44.5
percent to reach 10.31 million in the first quarter of 2023, with trips to
London, Bangkok, and Dhaka helping to drive the increase.
According to Qatar News Agency, the airport
received 3.56 million passengers in January, 3.24 million in February and 3.5
million in March.
Aircraft movement increased 18 percent to 56,417
in the first quarter of 2023.
The airport saw 19,377 aircraft arriving and
departing in January, 17,479 in February and 19,561 in March.
During the first quarter, it handled over 540,000
tons of cargo and moved over 8 million bags.
“These numbers demonstrate the resilience of our
industry and the vital role that airports play in connecting people. We will
always strive toward excellence and ensure that Hamad International Airport
remains the top choice for passengers traveling to and from the Middle East and
the world,” said Badr Mohammad Al-Meer, chief operating officer of Hamad
International Airport, in a statement.
The airport’s busiest destinations during the
first quarter of the year were London, Bangkok, Dhaka, Manila and Jeddah.
“With our robust operations and investment in our
growth plans, we will continue to magnify our airport infrastructure and product
offering to reinforce our competitive position in the aviation industry,” added
Al-Meer.
Last year, the airport registered a 101.9 percent
increase in passenger traffic to 35.73 million passengers over 2021. It also
witnessed a 28.3 percent increase in aircraft movements to 217,875 during the
same period.
In March, Hamad International Airport was 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 ninth time
in a row, at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2023.
As part of the airport operations plan of Qatar
Co. for Airports Operation and Management, Hamad International Airport and Doha
International Airport enhanced their operations during the FIFA World Cup Qatar
2022 and introduced customer-centric activities and processes to deliver a safe,
seamless and memorable experience.
Inaugurated in 2014, the airport is home to the
national carrier Qatar Airways.