Passenger traffic at Hamad International Airport rises 44.5% in first quarter of 2023
After a stellar 2022, Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) continued to post impressive numbers in terms of increase in passengers and aircraft movement.
While the number of passengers flying to and from the airport rose by 44.5% in the first quarter of 2023, corresponding to the same time last year, aircraft movements went up by 18.65%.
Hamad International Airport has experienced an extraordinary 44.5% increase in passenger traffic during the first quarter of 2023.
— Hamad Int'l Airport (@HIAQatar) May 7, 2023
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A total of 10,315,695 passengers used HIA in the first three months of the year, with 3,558,918 passengers in January, 3,240,114 in February and 3,516,663 people in March.
Aircraft movements also went up compared to the previous year, with 56,417 planes arriving and departing from the airport — 19,377 in January, 17,479 in February and 19,561 in March.
During this period, HIA handled over 540,000 tonnes of cargo and moved more than eight million bags through its facility, including over five million transfer baggage, underlining its ‘preferred’ status among global passengers.
Commenting on the results, HIA’s Chief Operating Officer Engr Badr Mohammad Al Meer said: “This is a remarkable start to 2023 for the airport and is a testament to our commitment to enhancing our passenger experience whether they’re travelling to, from or through the airport. With our robust operations and investment in our growth plans, we’ll continue to magnify our airport infrastructure and product offering to reinforce our competitive position in the aviation industry.”
On what this means for the industry, Al Meer added: “These numbers demonstrate the resilience of our industry and the vital role that airports play in connecting people. We’ll always strive towards excellence and ensure that Hamad International Airport remains the top choice for passengers travelling to and from the Middle East and the world.”
HIA’s busiest destinations during the first quarter of the year were London, Bangkok, Dhaka, Manila and Jeddah. The airport currently has over 40 airline partners.
Statistics from the Official Airline Guide, a global travel data provider, had selected HIA as the ninth busiest international airport in the world in April by seats. HIA recorded 2,147,221 seats in April 2023, helping it rise four places (13th) from the same month in 2019.
HIA had said that passenger numbers had more than doubled year-on-year, representing a 101.9% increase from the 2021 numbers and 92.1% of the pre-pandemic 2019 total. It witnessed a 164% increase in passenger traffic in the second quarter of 2022.
HIA was recently ranked as the second-best airport in the world. It also won 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.
The HIA had been named the World’s Best Airport for the second year in a row at the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2022 in Paris, France, after winning it in London in 2021.
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