Qatar Airways boss steps down.

Qatar Airways Group confirms after 27 years of remarkable service, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive - His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, will be stepping down from his current position as Group Chief Executive effective 5 November 2023, and will be succeeded by Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer as Group Chief Executive for Qatar Airways.   

Under H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker's leadership, Qatar Airways has grown to become one of the most recognisable and trusted brands globally, synonymous with customer service quality and the highest of standards. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has achieved an unprecedented seven-times win of the “World's Best Airline” award, and its state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport, which is under its management and operation, has also been recognised as the "World's Best Airport".  

The Qatar Airways Group’s contribution to helping deliver the best ever FIFA World Cup showcased to the world its capability, commitment to excellence, and its passion for bringing the world together.

The surprising news has left shockwaves in the aviation industry, with many voicing concern of the future direction of the mighty mega-carrier. Already staff forum networks are speculating on job losses set to be announced in the short term. 

Akbar Al Baker stepping down as Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways effective 5 November 2023.

Qatar Airways Group confirms after 27 years of remarkable service, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive - His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, will be stepping down from his current position as Group Chief Executive effective 5 November 2023, and will be succeeded by Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer as Group Chief Executive for Qatar Airways.   

Under H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker's leadership, Qatar Airways has grown to become one of the most recognisable and trusted brands globally, synonymous with customer service quality and the highest of standards. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has achieved an unprecedented seven-times win of the “World's Best Airline” award, and its state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport, which is under its management and operation, has also been recognised as the "World's Best Airport".  

The Qatar Airways Group’s contribution to helping deliver the best ever FIFA World Cup showcased to the world its capability, commitment to excellence, and its passion for bringing the world together.

The surprising news has left shockwaves in the aviation industry, with many voicing concern of the future direction of the mighty mega-carrier. Already staff forum networks are speculating on job losses set to be announced in the short term. 

Qatar Airways picks Starlink for high speed internet

Qatar Airways is the largest airline which is set to offer Starlink’s service on specified aircraft and routes

The high-speed, low-latency broadband internet access will be complimentary for all passengers with frictionless ‘One-Click-Access’ onboard 

Starlink will allow passengers to utilise Wi-Fi speed of up to 350 megabits per second for gaming, VPN access, sports streaming and more

 

Qatar Airways is now the largest airline to collaborate with Starlink and in the future, will roll out a complimentary high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity experience onboard specific aircraft and routes. Starlink’s service will be a further enhancement of Qatar Airways’ 5-star onboard experience. Once the service is active, passengers will be able to enjoy ultra-fast Wi-Fi speeds of up to 350 Megabits per second which can be used for a variety of internet-based services such as video streaming their favourite entertainment and sports videos, gaming, enriched web-browsing and much more.

 

As a leading 5-star airline of the world, Qatar Airways remains committed to offering the best passenger experience onboard, and the agreement with Starlink will allow passengers to have a rich seamless Wi-Fi connectivity experience onboard with a simple one-click access. The high-speed and low-latency network is powered by the revolutionary Starlink satellite communications system – the world’s largest satellite internet constellation engineered and operated by SpaceX. Qatar Airways and Starlink are currently in the pre-launch phase of the rollout strategy across the Qatar Airways fleet.

 

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to announce its agreement with Starlink to provide seamless and complimentary Wi-Fi to its global passengers. This exciting collaboration is not only in line with our industry-leading approach to technological adoption but also serves as an unmissable opportunity to connect Starlink to our global passengers. We look forward to our passengers benefitting from this state-of-the-art addition to Qatar Airways’ in-flight experience.”

 

“Qatar Airways continues to lead the way in prioritizing the passenger experience,” said SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales Jonathan Hofeller: “With Starlink set to support the entire Qatar Airways fleet, passengers travelling between over 160 destinations around the world will be able to stay connected with the most advance high-speed internet service from space. In fact, as soon as passengers step onboard the plane the internet works seamlessly throughout their flight from gate to gate, and all from the comfort of their seats.”

 

Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world Qatar Airways is the latest and largest airline to partner with Starlink. It is also being implemented by JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, and ZIPAIR.

The best airlines for business class...

The Business Travel Index from Tipalti has analyzed factors such as service, lounge facilities, seat comfort and inflight entertainment, to reveal the airlines to travel on in business class. 

The top 10 best airlines for those travelling business class: 

Rank	Airline	Average Lounge Score	Average Seat Score	Average Inflight Score	Overall Score
1	Oman Air	4	5	3.5	8.39
2	Cathay Pacific Airways	4	4.8	3.75	8.28
3	EVA Air	4	4.6	4	7.93
4	Qatar Airways	4	4.2	4	7.7
5	Vistara	3.75	4.6	4	7.47
6	Japan Airlines	3.8	4	4	7.24
7	Asiana Airlines	4	2.8	3.75	6.09
8	Kenya Airways	4	4.8	2.75	6.09
9	Qantas Airways	3.8	3.8	3.25	5.98
10	Singapore Airlines	3.4	3	4	5.75

Topping the list of best business-class airlines is Oman Air, with an overall score of 8.39. The airline is based at Muscat International Airport and travels to over 50 destinations, including the likes of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. 

Oman Air scores 5/5 across the board when it comes to its aircraft’s business-class seats, making it the highest-scoring airline in this category. It also receives 4/5 in areas such as staff service (both inflight and in the lounge), inflight entertainment, and lounge catering.

Following closely behind is Cathay Pacific Airways, which receives an overall score of 8.28. It is the largest airline in Hong Kong, with its head office located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline provides flights to over 60 destinations, such as Seoul, Dubai, and Johannesburg.

Cathay Pacific Airways scores 4/5 for the comfort of its seats (both sitting and sleeping), as well as for their width and length, meaning those travelling long haul can rest comfortably. The airline also scores highly for its catering options in lounges, which include The Teahouse in the Pier Business lounge and Noodle Bar in the Wing Business lounge, both located at Hong Kong International Airport.

In third place is EVA Air, with an overall score of 7.93. It is one of the two largest airlines in Taiwan and has hubs in both Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport. The airline flies to 30 different countries, including Thailand, Japan, and China.

EVA Air scores no less than 4/5 across all three categories, receiving 4 for both its lounges and inflight services and 4.6 for its seats. The airline scores 5/5 for the sitting comfort, width, and length of its seats, meaning that anyone choosing to travel with EVA Air is guaranteed to have a comfortable and relaxing experience when travelling long distances.

Ultimate Business Travel Index | Tipalti

Three major Middle Eastern airlines have started flights to Birmingham Airport

Three major Middle Eastern airlines have started flights to Birmingham Airport this month in what its chief executive called “a glimpse into our future.” The trio of airlines have vastly expanded the range of destinations now available from the airport, either directly or with one stop.

Saturday July1 - Emirates brought back its iconic 615-seater A380 ‘superjumbo,’ adding capacity on its popular twice-daily Dubai service.

Sunday July 2 – Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudia Arabia, began flying thrice-weekly to and from Jeddah, its vibrant second city and commercial centre.

Thursday July 6 - Qatar Airways returned to BHX, following a three-year absence, with daily services to Doha.

 

Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, said: “This is a glimpse into our future ... World-class airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Saudia serving the global gateway of the West Midlands as we eagerly await the arrival of the new HS2 railway, which will make BHX the journey time equivalent of London’s zone 5. 

“The West Midlands region is home to six million people contributing to an economy the size of Hungary's and currently boasting Britain’s strongest foreign direct investment and job creation performance outside London and the Southeast. 

“Customers travelling for business, leisure, family, and religious purposes will benefit from our best-ever direct Middle Eastern connectivity. While for some, Doha, Jeddah, or Dubai will be the destination, others will head on to one of the many cities offered on each of these airlines’ onward networks, including Australasia, Africa, Asia and North and South America.” 

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We all know how important global connections are to the West Midlands economy, and so I am delighted that Qatar Airways have returned to Birmingham Airport. The daily direct flights to Doha being offered by Qatar Airways comes on top of the return of Emirates’ iconic A380 for their daily flights to Dubai, and Saudi’s new thrice-weekly Jeddah service. These new services and investment are not only a big economic boost to the region as our global ties grow, but they’re also a significant vote of confidence in the future of the West Midlands from three of the world’s biggest airlines.” 

Qatar Airways flights to Casablanca and Marrakesh will resume on 30 June 2023...

Qatar Airways flights to Casablanca and Marrakesh will resume on 30 June 2023, operating four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays. The flight will be operated with the Boeing 787-8 with 254 seats: 22 Business Class and 232 Economy Class seats.

With the addition of Casablanca and Marrakesh, passengers can now enjoy connectivity to over 160 destinations across the airline’s extensive global network via the world-class Hamad International Airport (HIA). The award-winning airline remains committed to Morocco with the resumption of both cities’ routes, bolstering global connectivity, customer excellence and cultural connections. In summer 2023, Qatar Airways will operate four weekly flights to and from two airports in Morocco.  

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The Qatar Airways’ flights to Casablanca and Marrakesh solidify our commitment to the Moroccan market and meet a strong demand for connectivity to these two beautiful and historic cities. The FIFA World Cup 2022TM brought Qatar and Morocco together through football and bolstered our cultural and economic cohesion. Connecting through our Hamad International Airport offers passengers an unparalleled 5-star travel experience to over 160 destinations and continues to grow and expand our network.”

Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco, is known for its beauty and modern elegance juxtaposing timeless architectural character, attracting people all over the world to visit this truly classic city. Marrakesh, on the other hand, holds a more traditional aesthetic with phenomenal scenery, thriving souqs and a rich history.  

Qatar Airways welcomes passengers to the new Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden

Qatar Airways welcomes passengers to the new Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden 

This new lounge experience is designed to immerse passengers in a tranquil environment filled with natural light, exotic plants and elegant furnishings

Qatar Airways has opened the new Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, named ‘The Garden’ which overlooks ‘The ORCHARD’, surrounded by renowned retailers and restaurants while offering uniquely designed relaxation spaces and areas to socialise.

An exclusive sanctuary available for Qatar Airways Premium Passengers, The Garden stretches over an area of 7,390 square metres and can accommodate up to 707 passengers. It features 24 quiet spaces, each designed to offer optimum relaxation available free of charge for the first six hours, and also features seven spa treatment rooms. 

Accessible for passengers travelling in Premium cabin, the new lounge offers a range of premium facilities that fulfil the needs of business, leisure and family travellers with numerous dining options, relaxation rooms, a fitness studio, pedicure & manicure stations, spa facilities, dedicated private spaces, recreational areas and a nursery. The lounge has been influenced by modern aesthetics incorporating natural light in its distinct design, providing passengers with an immersive experience reflecting The ORCHARD below.  

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, stated: “At Qatar Airways, excellence is embedded in the core of our brand, and as we continue to evolve our offerings, we choose to provide our passengers with the very best experiences in aviation and hospitality. Passengers can now enhance their journey to a new level at our newly opened Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden at Hamad International Airport. This world-class lounge showcases a sophisticated way of travel, centred in comfort, wellness and nature. I welcome our premium passengers to experience this spectacular addition to our signature lounge portfolio.”

Qatar Airways and Airbus reach an amicable settlement in legal dispute

Qatar Airways and Airbus reach an amicable settlement in legal dispute

Qatar Airways and Airbus have announced they have reached an amicable and mutually agreeable settlement in relation to their legal dispute over A350 surface degradation and the grounding of A350 aircraft.

A repair project is now underway and both parties look forward to getting these aircraft safely back in the air.

The details of the settlement are confidential and the parties will now proceed to discontinue their legal claims.

The settlement agreement is not an admission of liability for either party.

This agreement will enable Qatar Airways and Airbus to move forward and work together as partners.

Comprehensive codeshare deal for Qatar Airways and Air Serbia

Qatar Airways has confirmed it has signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement with Air Serbia, the flag carrier of Serbia, allowing passengers seamless travel to over 40 destinations when travelling on each other’s networks effective 01 February 2023.  

Qatar Airways currently operates five weekly flights between its hub in Doha, Qatar and Belgrade, the Serbian capital. The codeshare agreement opens up a host of new exciting destinations for its passengers to use a single booking to continue their journey to European countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia among others served by Air Serbia.  

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr Akbar Al Baker, said: “This partnership will allow us to expand our footprint in the Central and Eastern European markets where we are looking forward to offering additional travel choices for our customers. We are extremely proud to unveil this partnership with Air Serbia, the leading airline in this region since it was founded in 1927 and we look forward to working effortlessly together.”

Discover Qatar offers educational tours to school and college students

Discover Qatar (DQ) is offering specially-designed tours to showcase Qatar’s top-tier educational and tourism resources as well as the distinctive features of Doha. Custom-made for school and college students from across the globe, these tours present a unique opportunity for a holistic view of Qatar’s premier academic ecosystem, while immersing guests in the culture of the country.

Through these tours, Discover Qatar aims to provide life-enhancing travel experiences to empower students to learn beyond the classroom. These tours will enable cross culture connections for the students to develop new ideas and perspectives through special experiences, training, and networking opportunities.

Mr. Steven Reynolds, Senior Vice President, Discover Qatar, said: “The successful development and launch of our educational tours for school and college students is a testament to Qatar’s dynamic offerings as a unique global destination for educational pursuits. We look forward to enriching the academic growth of students around the world with resources, insights, and experiences from leading academic and cultural institutions in Qatar.”

DQ's educational tours focus on a range of subjects including architecture, art and culture, sports and performance excellence, fashion and design, business management, and gastronomy, all with the goal of stimulating learning for students through curated activities and workshops. Bringing learning curriculums to life, students can develop problem-solving skills, improve critical thinking, broaden their worldview, and learn through a variety of custom-designed workshops, activities, and interactive experiential sessions. The specially-designed programmes are offered for five days and can be extended up to 10 days based on the subject or expected learning outcomes. These are all-inclusive group programmes that combine services such as hotel accommodation, meals, airport & local city transfers, sightseeing activities & a guide who escorts the group for a complete stay in Doha. More details can be found on the Discover Qatar website https://www.discoverqatar.qa/education-tours/.

Qatar Airways teams up with Gevo to purchase 25 million US gallons of certified sustainable aviation fuel

New agreement to purchase 25 million gallons of neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Gevo, Inc. reiterates the airline’s commitment to environmental sustainability

Qatar Airways becomes the first airline in the Middle East and Africa region to announce its commitment for an international SAF offtake agreement

Photo by Francesco Patrinostro on Unsplash

Qatar Airways and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer Gevo, Inc. have signed an offtake agreement, where the airline will purchase 25 million US gallons of neat SAF over the course of five years with deliveries expected to commence in 2028 at various airports in California. 

Qatar Airways will be uplifting 5 million US gallons of neat SAF every year and will blend it with its existing supply of conventional jet fuel. The airline became the first airline in the Middle East and Africa region to announce its commitment to an international SAF offtake agreement.

This partnership is part of the airline’s earlier commitment, along with other oneworld® Alliance members to purchase up to 200 million US gallons of SAF from Gevo. SAF is one of the pillars in Qatar Airways and oneworld’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050. In September 2020, oneworld became the first global airline alliance to unite behind a common target to achieve carbon neutrality with net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The alliance subsequently committed to a target of 10% sustainable aviation fuel use across the alliance by 2030. Qatar Airways is very keen to ramp-up the use of SAF at a commercial level, noting that the SAF to be purchased will be certified under the sustainability criteria laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Compared with fossil-based jet fuel, SAF results in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions across its lifecycle. Today’s technology allows for CO2 reductions from the use of SAF to reach 85% when compared to conventional jet fuel.

Codeshare deal between JetBlue and Qatar Airways......

Qatar Airways and JetBlue Further Enhance Codeshare Agreement with Expanded List of Global Destinations

JetBlue passengers can now fly on Qatar Airways to 11 new exciting destinations in Africa and Asia, including Bangkok (BKK), Denpasar-Bali (DPS) & Phuket (HKT)

 

Qatar Airways and JetBlue expand their codeshare agreement which allows JetBlue passengers to enjoy unrivalled travel options between the United States and 11 new destinations, in 8 different countries across Africa and Asia via Doha’s Hamad International Airport.

Incredible cities to be discovered include Accra, Addis-Ababa, Alexandria, Bangkok, Cairo, Denpasar, Harare, Jakarta, Khartoum, Phuket, and Windhoek. These 11 new markets will be added to the 13 existing codeshare destinations already available to JetBlue customers within the Qatar Airways’ network in Africa, Asia and Middle-East.

This builds on the airlines’ partnership that first began in 2011. Qatar Airways passengers already benefit from access to over 50 destinations across JetBlue’s network, including being able to book travel on JetBlue’s extensive routes between the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America regions.

JetBlue and Qatar Airways further enhance codeshare agreement

JetBlue has expanded its relationship with Doha-based Qatar Airways with the expansion of the airlines’ codeshare agreement. This expansion will allow JetBlue customers to enjoy unrivalled travel options between the United States and 11 new markets, in eight countries, across Africa and Asia via Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). 

The JetBlue code is now available on flights between Doha and:

Accra, Ghana (ACC)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD)

Alexandria, Egypt (HBE)

Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

Cairo, Egypt (CAI)

Denpasar-Bali, Indonesia (DPS)

Harare, Zimbabwe (HRE)

Jakarta, Indonesia (CGK)

Khartoum, Sudan (KRT)

Phuket, Thailand (HKT)

Windhoek, Namibia (WDH)

These 11 new markets will be added to the 13 existing codeshare destinations already available to JetBlue customers within the Qatar Airways Network of Excellence in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

“Together with Qatar Airways, we’re connecting more customers to more outstanding destinations, all while providing them with industry-leading experiences onboard our two airlines,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “Qatar Airways is already our top internationally-based partner for connecting customers across the Americas to its worldwide network, and as we continue to strengthen our relationship we’re giving travelers a variety of fresh choices for flying to new corners of the globe.”

This expanded codeshare agreement builds on the airlines’ partnership that first began in 2011. Qatar Airways passengers already benefit from access to more than 50 destinations across the JetBlue network, including the ability to book travels on JetBlue’s extensive options between the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America regions.

Qatar Airways and British Airways joint venture tie up.

A warn welcome from the crew   Photo British Airways

Qatar Airways and British Airways have completed the latest phase in the expansion of their partnership, offering global connectivity between more countries than any other airline joint business.

The airlines have added 42 new countries to their shared network, including Italy, the Maldives, Norway, Singapore, and Sweden, giving passengers enhanced access between destinations in Europe and the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Customers will now benefit from even greater choices in prices and schedules with options for direct flights as well as connections via hubs in London and Doha. This is all part of Qatar Airways and British Airways' plan to “Move Further Together” by enhancing the joint network and providing passengers with the best of both airlines.

The expansion will enable seamless connecting journeys on single tickets through Doha and London, bringing the total number of destinations served by the two airlines to 185 across more than 60 countries. The complementary networks uniquely access dozens of countries that no other alliance or joint business provides. The partnership also ensures access to more cities around the world than ever before, continuing to support global trade, tourism, investment, and cultural connection.

Additionally, customers will have more freedom to engage with both airlines’ loyalty programmes, earning and spending Avios, their common currency. Customers are able to seamlessly link their Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club accounts to transfer Avios between the two, and combine balances to claim rewards offered by each programme. The collaboration also offers access to both airline’s exclusive lounges, and cabins to suit all budgets and needs, including British Airways’ new Club Suite and Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite.

Qatar Airways named World’s Best Airline for seventh time at 2022 Skytrax World Airline Awards

Qatar Airways has been voted the World’s Best Airline for a record seventh time at the 2022 World Airline Awards, winning the prestigious Airline of the Year 2022 title.

After two years of virtual award ceremonies, the 2022 World Airline Awards event returned to normal procedures, with airlines from around the world attending the 2022 awards ceremony, held today at the historic Langham Hotel in London, United Kingdom.

Widely regarded as ‘the Oscars of the aviation industry’, the World Airline Awards began in 1999, and remain totally independent and impartial with all of the customer survey costs and awards event paid by the organisers, Skytrax.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, said: “To be named as the World’s Best Airline was always a goal when Qatar Airways was created, but to win it for the seventh time and pick up three additional awards is a testament to all the hard work of our incredible employees. Their continued dedication and drive is to ensure our passengers have the best experience possible when they fly with Qatar Airways. To win these awards in the same year that we celebrate our 25th anniversary is even more rewarding and I want to offer a sincere thanks to all our passengers who voted for us. Your support drives us to greater achievements every day, we value your loyalty and aim to create memories of a lifetime when you fly with Qatar Airways.”

Singapore Airlines takes second position in the world, with Emirates third, ANA All Nippon Airways fourth, and Qantas Airways in fifth position, out of more than 350 airlines included in the survey results.

Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said: “To receive the 2022 World’s Best Airline award is a great recognition of Qatar Airways high standards, and recognises the hard work and dedication from every member of the airline’s staff to satisfy customers. Qatar Airways was the largest airline to have flown consistently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with their network never falling below 30 destinations, and that determination has clearly been well recognised by customers with this award as Airline of the Year 2022. For Qatar Airways to achieve this top accolade for a seventh time is both a unique and remarkable achievement, and we congratulate them for this success.”

Big winners at the awards included Qatar Airways who scooped nine award wins, with Singapore Airlines also receiving nine awards. Delta Air Lines was the success in North America, winning six awards. In Europe, Turkish Airlines was dominant, receiving four awards including the highly competitive Best Airline in Europe title.

India’s Vistara was another key winner, receiving two awards, the Best Airline in India and Southern Asia and Best Airline Staff Service in India and Southern Asia. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer of Vistara said “It is incredibly heartening for all of us at Vistara to win these awards, which reaffirms the steadfast trust our customers have in us and is a true testament to Vistara setting global benchmarks for excellence in operations and service delivery.”

airBaltic celebrated success at the 2022 World Airline Awards for the first time, receiving the awards for the Best Airline in Eastern Europe, the Most Improved Airline in Europe and the Best Airline Staff in Eastern Europe. Martin Gauss, President and CEO at airBaltic: “We at airBaltic are continuously working on improving and innovating. There is an incredible motivation, dedication and passion within the airBaltic team towards what we do. Therefore I am proud and honoured to receive this award today on behalf of our team and to see our work and efforts being recognized on an international scale.”

It is getting very arty at Doha's Hamad International Airport’s (HIA)

Discover Qatar in collaboration with Qatar Museums, introduces travellers to Hamad International Airport’s (HIA) world-class art installations

An exclusive tour featuring an impressive collection of art by world-renowned artists including Ahmed Al Bahrani, Jean-Michel Othoniel, KAWS, Tom Otterness, Urs Fischer and others

Discover Qatar, the World’s Best Airport - Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Qatar Museums have debuted a one-of-kind collaboration for passengers travelling via the award-winning airport. The ‘Discover the Art of the Airport’, is a unique walking tour through an immersive experience where guests can view impressive sculptures and art installations by leading artists from around the world.

Under the patronage of Her Excellency, Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, remarkable art objects created by local, regional and international artists have been placed throughout HIA. Artworks curated by Qatar Museums' Public Art Department can be seen in different parts of HIA, encouraging dialogue and public interaction, while adding character and personality to the airport’s open spaces.

The works of art include ‘Other Worlds’ by American artist Tom Otterness; ‘Small Lie’ by American artist KAWS; ‘Cosmos’ by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel; ‘A Message of Peace to the World’ by Iraqi artist Ahmed Al Bahrani; and ‘Lamp Bear’ by Swiss artist Urs Fischer are just a few of the permanent installations at HIA that inspire passengers to communicate in the universal language of art, transcending linguistic barriers and forming connections between people from different continents while turning travel into an exciting art experience.