HIA sets record by serving 8.8mn passengers in 2016 first quarter

Hamad International Airport (HIA) has served a record 8.8mn passengers during the first quarter of 2016, making it the busiest quarter for the airport since its opening in May, 2014.

This represents a 20% increase from the number of passengers that travelled through the airport during the first quarter of 2015.

In detail, HIA had 8,867,971 passengers pass through its gates during the first quarter of 2016, with a record 3,089,826 passengers departing, arriving and transiting in January which is an unsurpassed figure for a single month for the airport.

The months of February and March had 2,722,867 and 3,055,278 passenger movements respectively. The same period in 2015 saw a total of 7,360,145 passengers travelling through HIA, including 2,589,400 passengers in January; 2,285,221 in February; and 2,485,524 in March.

HIA also had a significant increase in aircraft movements in the first quarter of 2016 with a total of 58,288 movements, which represents a 8.6% increase in aircraft take-offs and landings at the airport, compared to 56,282 movements during the same period last year.

The month of January and February saw 19,455 and 18,511 aircraft movements respectively, followed by the month of March with unprecedented 20,322 aircraft movements, which is the highest the airport has had.

Cargo tonnage totalled 389,950 tonnes in the first quarter of 2016 with 125,907 tonnes of cargo handled in January, 122,227 tonnes in February and 141,815 tonnes in March.

The airport ended the previous year on a strong note having handled 30.9mn passengers from January to December 2015. It handled a total of 1.4mn tonnes of cargo as well 212,252 aircraft movements.

Commenting on the airport’s record-breaking figures, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport, said: “With the activation of concourses D and E at HIA as well as the technological advancements being implemented in the terminal, we’re in a position to handle more passengers, aircraft and cargo movements than ever before. We expect a steady growth in numbers for the remaining year as well.”

Courtesy: thepeninsulaqatar.com