Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Qatar Airways are persisting with a significant cargo transportation regime that operates around 175 freighter and belly-hold flights per day.

In the past month, flag carrier Qatar Airways has collaborated with governments and NGOs to shift more than 100,000 tonnes of medical and aid supplies via scheduled and charter services to worldwide regions hardest hit by the coronavirus (Covid-19).

This is the equivalent of around 1,000 fully loaded Boeing 77 freighters, with goods shifted to the likes of China, India, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, the US and Australia.

The airport handled 529,436 tonnes of cargo (+4.7%) in the first quarter of this year.

MULTI-PHASE EXPANSION

Last week, freight division Qatar Airways Cargo reached a new record with 78 freighter flights and 69 freight-only passenger flights – a total of 147 cargo flights in a day.

The airport and airline continue to repatriate citizens and entry screening of all arriving passengers and crew are being undertaken, in addition to quarantining procedures.

As reported, HIA is eyeing the completion of a multi-phase airport expansion focusing on safety and sustainability, with phase A due to complete before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

This will lift airport capacity to more than 53 million passengers annually. Phase B, due to be completed after 2022, will lift capacity to more than 60m passengers per year.

A commercial overhaul of the 140,000sq m terminal building located airside will include 11,720sq m of landscaped retail and F&B space and a 9,000sq m Al Mourjan lounge, alongside other eye-catching features.