Hamad International Airport (HIA) has reported welcoming a record-high total of 10.7 million passengers in the third quarter of 2019, making it the busiest quarter and summer the airport has ever seen.

In detail, HIA has served 3,700,729 passengers in July, 3,863,013 in August, and 3,157,086 in September. August is the busiest month ever recorded in HIA’s history, with July being the second busiest month ever recorded. These numbers are inclusive of passengers arriving, departing and transferring through HIA.

Qatar’s state-of-the-art terminal has also witnessed a record in aircraft movements with a total of 60,135 movements from July to September 2019, which includes total number of aircraft take-offs and landings at the airport making it the busiest quarter of the year.

This marked a 5.44 percent increase compared to the same time last year. The airport handled 20,094 aircraft movements in July, 20,361 movements in August and 19,680 movements in September, with August being the busiest month of the year.

The airport’s state-of-the-art facilities and services, combined with the latest cutting-edge technology integrated into the airport, have contributed significantly to seamlessly facilitating the increased passenger flow.  HIA’s drive for excellence has allowed for industry-leading transfer security screening, meaning shorter queuing times at security points which can accommodate up to 6,000 passengers during peak hours.

Through the introduction of additional transfer halls, 95 percent of transfer passengers’ queue for under five minutes.

HIA is also the first in the MENA region ready to accept Electronic Bag Tags, providing reduced time spent in queues, a simplified baggage drop process and increased relaxation time at the airport.

In addition, it has commissioned 62 next-generation self-check-in and 12 self-bag drop kiosks including future biometric technology capability and provides a seamless experience for passengers with the most advanced digital parking solutions, offering short and long term as well as premium and valet parking.

HIA’s record-breaking operations in the third quarter of the year ties in with the airports strong partnerships with key industry stakeholders such as Qatar Airways, Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) and Qatar Rail, who have supported its commitment to boosting tourism and promoting Qatar as the preferred destination with world-class experiences. To sustain the ever-growing passenger demand and support its position as a global hub, HIA is undertaking an ambitious expansion program to enhance the capacity of the terminal as well as set a new standard in the traveler experience globally. The incredible new plans will propel Hamad International Airport to become a destination in its own right. HIA’s highly anticipated expansion will help accommodate over 53 million passengers annually by 2022, an increase of almost 30 percent from its current passenger footfall.