Hamad International Airport Wins Three Skytrax Awards

Hamad International Airport, Qatar's Gateway to the world, won three international prizes at the Skytrax Airport Award Ceremony, held recently on the sidelines of the Passenger Terminal Expo 2015 in Paris.

HIA won the Best Airport in the Middle East award and came in second as the Best Airport in Performance and Services. HIA also won the ninth position as the World's Best Airport in Transit Services.

The three awards place Qatar in a strategic position on the international aviation map, as the airport offers passengers unique services, with passengers being able to complete travel procedure easily and at record times.

Passengers from more than 160 countries around the world participated in the Skytrax annual poll, which asks passengers to evaluate services offered by airlines and airports around the world.

Winners are determined based on passenger reviews of airport services such as arrival, connection, shopping, security, and others.

Badr Al Meer, HIA Chief Operating Officer commented after receiving the awards: "The HIA family is very excited to win the awards of the Best Airport in the Middle East, the world's second best airport in terms of performance and services, and the ninth best world airport in transit services, especially as we competed with the world's prestigious and longstanding airports.

"I received the award on behalf of all HIA staff and our partners who greatly contributed to our efforts to provide the best services to our passengers.

These awards are a testimony to their persistent and hard work, and they encourage all of us to continue our endeavors to ensure full passenger satisfaction.”

"These awards are extremely valuable as they are won based on passenger choice and experiences with airline companies.

And what is more important, is that these awards reflect the level of our performance in the entire engagement with customers at the airport."

Al Meer added that the prestigious awards are considered a great achievement by HIA, which has been in operation for less than a year, while the best international airports need an average of five years to adjust their operations after opening to win such awards.

He said the improvements that the airport will witness soon, such as the opening of the VIP Lounge and the First-Class Lounge, will deepen the successes and excellence that the airport has already achieved.

He added: "HIA is working hard to develop its services for passengers. The new awards prove the airport's excellence and pave the way for it to raise its profile even further and compete on the international level."

He said that HIA plans to improve, develop, and expedite services to passengers, and that the airport is proud of the contributions its partners in government and in private companies are making, which are fundamental to the continuous successes that are being made.

HIA also recently won the world's Best Strategic Project 2015 by American organization "CG/ LA".

Commenting on the multiple awards, Al Meer said: "This is a recognition of not just the airport, but also of the State of Qatar and its people and establishments under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, and the support of the Father Emir, the builder of Qatar's development.

We as Qataris see these awards as a source of pride for our country. We dedicate this recognition to every passenger via HIA."

He added: "The recognition reflects the successes Qatar is scoring in all fields. It also reflects Qatar's ambition to maintain progress and leadership on the international level. We as Qataris are proud of this giant landmark, which is Qatar's gateway to the world.

HIA is a key part of Qatar's National Vision 2030. It is a national project and one of the most ambitious strategic projects on the world level. The awards are a result of persistent efforts in design, construction, and engineering work."

HIA provides a unique travel experience through one of the world’s fastest growing tourism and business destinations, placing Doha at the center of developed and emerging international financial and economic centres.

With a high operating efficiency, HIA can accommodate a large number of flights, with travel procedures and cargo shipments accomplished in a dynamic and efficient way.

The airport also has advanced security and safety systems, aviation and terminal technology, coupled with great comfort and luxury.

The airport also has over 40,000 square meters of combined retail, food and beverage facilities, a hotel, a medical centre, a swimming pool, a gym, two squash courts, as well as exclusive business and hospitality services.