On Monday, the 31st IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) officially began at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Doha, Qatar. The conference started with the playing of the Qatari national anthem. Among those in attendance was Qatar Airways Group"™s own CEO, His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, and other executives from the Qatar Airways Group and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Qatar Airways: Then and Now
In the opening presentation, Qatar Airways, the official sponsor and host airline for the event, and its progress over the years was highlighted. The airline is celebrating its 20th anniversary since its restructuring with Al-Baker being given control with the mandate to make the airline "the greatest in the world." Since then, the airline has undergone massive renovations and expansion in order to achieve its goal.
The airline"™s most recent achievements were highlighted in a video presentation. Notable achievements for the airline include being the Middle East launch customer for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, being the launch customer for the Airbus A350 XWB, having the best airport in the Middle East with Hamad International Airport in Doha, winning Skytrax"™s "Airline of the Year" award four times since its restructuring under Al-Baker, launching one of the world"™s longest flight from Auckland to Doha, debuting the Q-Suites, opening 11 destinations in 2017 and 16 expected in the next two year period.
Al-Baker also had reason to celebrate, having been named "Airline Executive of the Year" for 2017 by the CAPA Centre for Aviation. Additionally, under his discretion, the company has been profitable and has seen exponential growth in its 20-year lifespan. This year, however, will be the first year Qatar will report a loss, due to the blockade affecting the Gulf nation and, by association, Qatar Airways.
The presentation was a statement to the world that Qatar Airways has arrived and is here to stay as a big player in the premium aviation market. Additionally, the expansion of Qatar Airways has coincided with and has helped spur the development and growth of the nation and the city of Doha. Just 20 years ago, Doha wasn"™t the city it was today, and its growth can partially be attributed to Qatar Airways.
IATA
Following the video presentation of Qatar Airway"™ 20-year history and the rapid expansion that the airline and country saw, IATA"™s Head of Ground Operations Joseph Suidan took the stage to welcome the attendees and delegates to the conference. His first order of business was to thank Qatar Airways and Qatar Aviation Services, the two main sponsors of the event, for hosting the event in Doha…
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