Hamad Int. Airport in Qatar Reports 41.37% Increase in Passengers in 2021

(10 Jan 2022)  Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Qatar welcomed 17,702,635 passengers in 2021, a 41.37% increase on the number of passengers served in 2020.

Airport cargo operations increased by 20.71% in 2021, with 2,589,283 tonnes of cargo handled in 2021 along with the introduction of 6 new cargo destinations.

Aircraft movements grew by 28.12%, with 169,909 aircraft taking-off and landing at HIA.

HIA currently serves a total of 156 destinations, with 8 new passenger destinations and 1 new airline partner, namely RwandaAir, added to HIA’s network in 2021.

Dhaka, Male, Dubai, Kathmandu and London were among the busiest departing destinations from HIA in 2021.

Hamad International Airport (HIA)

“While the global aviation industry witnessed another tumultuous year, HIA prevailed and continued to set new benchmarks and achievements; a reflection of the airport’s dedication to ensuring passenger and staff well-being. Qatar’s airport maintained stringent safety procedures to ensure a worry-free passenger experience, formed new partnerships to further HIA’s vision for sustainability and technological innovations, and expanded its lifestyle offerings for its passengers,” said Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA. “As the Official Airport Partner of the fast-approaching FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, HIA is looking forward to creating new passenger experiences at the airport, while keeping their safety and well-being at the core of our operations. Qatar’s airport realises the importance of the World Cup for incoming fans – many of whom fly across the world to witness the event. We are delighted to welcome them with the unparalleled experience they deserve”.

Recently, HIA has invested in its green future through the introduction of sustainable measures at its Oryx Airport Hotel. The hotel has successfully replaced all its plastic water bottles with eco-friendly water containers, along with an extensive array of initiatives aimed at increasing the positive environmental impact of the airport.

Supplementing the passenger experience at HIA, Qatar Duty Free (QDF) has led notable efforts in expanding its offerings by launching numerous new concepts, brand stores and food and beverage outlets including an Adidas store, an Apple shop and Hublot, the Swiss luxury watchmaking house, which officially launched its first travel retail boutique in the region.

QDF also revealed Viale Del Lusso, the luxury fashion avenue, that features Valentino’s first airport boutique in the Middle East, Emilio Pucci’s first stand-alone airport boutiques in the Middle East, Fendi and Jimmy Choo, as well as the first-ever Emporio Armani Ristorante and Emporio Armani Caffè in an airport globally.

QDF also observed a strong growth in revenue versus 2019, driven by more than 70% in uplifts from Sales-Per-Passenger (SPP) at HIA.

HIA’s expansion, currently in Phase A, is set to increase HIA’s capacity to more than 58 million passengers annually by 2022 and Phase B, which will commence after the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, will increase HIA’s capacity to more than 60 million passengers.