London, United Kingdom — Qatar’s Hamad International Airport has been named as the best airport in the Middle East, and the second-best airport in the world at this year’s Business Traveller Awards.
Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, said, “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to providing world-class services. We take immense pride in our role as the ultimate gateway to Qatar and the Middle East as we look forward to further enhancing our position as the favored travel destination.”
In November last year, Qatar opened a huge expansion of its main international airport as the national carrier’s chief hit back at “rumors” that it could not cope with World Cup passengers.
After the multi-billion-dollar overhaul, Hamad International Airport raised its capacity from 40 million passengers a year to 58 million.
The expansion added 39 airport gates to the existing 140 at the airport, which is a major hub for transit passengers.
The project was completed just 10 days from the start of the World Cup, which is expected to draw more than one million visitors to the Gulf state, the smallest ever host of the mega event.
At the center piece of the new terminal expansion is an indoor tropical garden featuring more than 300 different trees and 25,000 plants from around the world.
A new phase of the expansion that started in January aimed to take the capacity at Hamad Airport — which only opened in 2014 — to more than 70 million passengers a year.
Qatar Airways wins awards
Qatar Airways, has triumphed in four categories at this year’s Business Traveller Awards.
The national carrier of Qatar was awarded Best Long-Haul Airline, Best Business Class, Best Middle Eastern Airline, and Best Inflight Food & Beverage by Business Traveller.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said, “Our success at this year’s Business Traveller Awards confirms Qatar Airways’ stature as the world’s leading airline and provides yet another demonstration of our ongoing commitment to being the best.”