Hamad International Airport Set To Receive Returning Vacationers

Hamad International Airport

The Airport Passport Department announced that HIA (Hamad International Airport) is all set to receive the passengers returning after their summer vacation. The passengers can now complete their verification process in just three simple steps; 

1) Electronic reading of passport,
2)Verification of Visa Permit or Residence Permit and,
3) Eye Scanning, where all the airport employees are ready to deal with the passengers and help them.

“The airport is ready with new tech and innovative ideas to make the entry of the passengers into easier. The welcome lounges at the airport are made flexibly for receiving 6000 people per hour with 60 counters from different categories. 8 for Al Maha services, 8 for Qatar Air Ways, (1st class business men), 10 for GCC nationals, 22 nationalities other than mentioned above, 4 for ladies only, 2 other businessmen class and the remainings go to families. In addition, there are sixteen e-gates that are programmed to accelerate depending on the movement of passengers. On the ground, special staff had also been deployed in case the numbers of arriving passengers shoot up as a result of two or more planes landing simultaneously," said Muhammad Rashid al Mazroui, director of the Airport Passport Department.

Al Mazroui also requested all arriving or departing travelers to avail e-Gates to save time. He said there are staff monitoring all processes on a large screen and assisting in case passengers have any troubles.

Airport officials will be there all the time, in case if several planes land at the same time, officials would guide the passengers to go to the counters that are less crowded and complete immigration procedures for about 2,580 passengers in an hour.

Al Mazroui also mentioned about the new passport screening device at the airport, which is the best in the world. If in case, the immigration officer has queried any passport then, that would be sent to this device for verification. The device can check the passport for any manipulation or fraud and misrepresentation in the data or photo.

(Head, Passports Section Airport) said, “The staff at the Airport was working 24 hours in 4 shifts, each shift constituting 136 employees facilitating the quick process of travelers. Verification of passport lasts only 25 seconds for Qatari residents, 10 seconds for GCC citizens and 35 seconds for visitors”

Daily, 34,000 passengers go through the counters of HIA and it has successfully handled 2.365 million passengers since its opening.