Qatar’s Hamad International Airport hopes to cross a record 40 million passengers this year. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, the airport recorded 39.5 million passengers. In a report last week, the airport claimed that it has recovered 35.7 million in 2022 with the World Cup in November and December 2023.
“Capacity restrictions at the airport held back numbers last year," said Akbar Al-Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways. "If we did not have shortage of capacity, we would have exceeded the 2019 figures. I am not satisfied with 39.5 million passengers. We are hoping that this year we will break a record in the numbers of passengers that will pass through Hamad.”
The Qatar Airways CEO also pointed out the fact that with no World Cup event in 2023, crossing the record number would be a big achievement with a lot of pressure on the Qatar Tourism.
Meanwhile, Dubai airport announced in November 2022 that it expected 64.3 million passengers in 2022.