London, United Kingdom – Qatar Airways has once again soared above the competition, earning the coveted title of ‘Best Airline in the World’ at the Business Traveller Awards 2025. The Doha-based carrier took home a total of six accolades, underscoring its dominance in global aviation and its continued commitment to redefining the travel experience.

In addition to the top honour, Qatar Airways claimed several other major awards, including ‘Best Business Class in the World’, ‘Best Economy Class in the World’, ‘Best Airline Lounge in the World’ for its Al Mourjan Lounges at Hamad International Airport, ‘Best Frequent Flyer Programme in the World’, and ‘Best Airline Between Europe and the Middle East’.

Held at London’s Sky Garden, the annual Business Traveller Awards gathered leaders from across the travel, hospitality, and aviation industries to celebrate excellence in service, innovation, and experience. The winners were selected by a distinguished panel of industry experts with decades of experience in global travel and customer experience evaluation.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Thierry Antinori, Chief Commercial Officer of Qatar Airways, expressed gratitude for the recognition: “We are honoured to receive these prestigious accolades that reflect our unwavering commitment to excellence. Being named World’s Best Airline, alongside recognition for our Business and Economy Class cabins, loyalty programme, and lounges, is a testament to our dedication to delivering unparalleled experiences at every touchpoint. These awards reaffirm our position as a global leader and inspire us to continue setting new benchmarks for comfort, connectivity, and service.”

Mr. Michael Keating, Chief Commercial Officer of Ink Global, which organises the awards, praised the airline’s performance: “Qatar Airways performed outstandingly well in this year’s Business Traveller Awards, winning five of the seven global airline categories and six awards in total. From its industry-leading Business Class to exceptional inflight service and innovations such as free Starlink Wi-Fi, Qatar Airways is a truly deserving winner. We were delighted to celebrate their success in London and look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the future of premium travel.”

This recognition marks another milestone in a landmark year for Qatar Airways, as it expands its network to more than 170 destinations worldwide and continues to introduce cutting-edge products and services. As the national carrier of the State of Qatar, the airline remains steadfast in its mission to deliver world-class hospitality and elevate the passenger experience for millions of travellers around the globe.

About Business Traveller

For nearly five decades, Business Traveller has stood as the definitive voice of the globally mobile executive. With flagship editions in the UK, Asia-Pacific, the United States, Germany, the Middle East, India, and Africa, Business Traveller delivers incisive journalism, discerning reviews and authoritative analysis across every facet of the travel experience, aviation and hospitality to technology and corporate culture.

At its core, Business Traveller exists to elevate the journey. We distil the latest airline innovations, the finest airport lounges, transformative destinations and items of essential luxury for the time-sensitive audience. Through intelligent features, insider perspectives, and global reportage, Business Traveller offers thought leadership that sits ahead of the curve - spanning curated hotels and resorts, wellness and design, and the executive lifestyle that reflects the ambition, experience, and refinement of our readers.

Wherever work meets wanderlust, Business Traveller is there connecting decision-makers, frequent flyers and luxury brands. to inform of course, but also to inspire and to facilitate the burgeoning trifecta of business, travel and lifestyle.

Beyond print and digital, Business Traveller extends its reach through broadcast - including ReachTV screens across North America, Bloomberg Television, YouTube, as well as maintaining a leading presence on all major social channels. Coupled with premium placement in first-class airline lounges and myriad leading hotel groups, Business Traveller commands an audience of influence wherever mobility meets luxury.

With its expanding global circulation and trusted editorial authority, Business Traveller offers partners and advertisers a distinctive, measurable platform at the intersection of business and travel. We connect the world’s most premium travellers with the brands that move with them.

For more information, visit businesstraveller.com.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim Region has expanded its air connectivity network to 18 domestic and international destinations served by 16 airlines, providing travelers with more options to destinations across Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Domestic destinations include Riyadh, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha, while international services connect Qassim with cities including Kuwait, Cairo, Islamabad, Istanbul, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Sohag, Multan, Khartoum and Giza.

Khartoum was recently added to the airport’s international network through Tarco Aviation, with one weekly one-way service.

The expansion reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Qassim’s international air connectivity, respond to growing passenger demand and provide travelers with broader and more convenient flight options.

The airport is also continuing to build partnerships with international airlines as part of efforts to enhance the passenger experience and support the wider development of Saudi Arabia’s aviation network

Source: SPA

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) has awarded a contract to develop an automated people mover (APM) system for the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport, creating what is expected to be the world’s largest airport transit system of its kind.

The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), its Dubai-based subsidiary MHI Mobility Engineering Services (MHI-MESC), and Indian engineering group Larsen and Toubro (L&T).

The APM network will extend approximately 50 kilometers and connect nine stations, making it significantly larger than existing airport people-mover systems.

MHI and MHI-MESC will oversee the design, procurement and testing of 165 vehicles, as well as signaling technology and overall system integration. L&T will be responsible for designing, procuring, testing and constructing the remaining subsystems on site.

The project is scheduled for completion in December 2031.

The scale of Dubai’s planned system will surpass existing airport transit networks, including the approximately 8-kilometer Skylink at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and The Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The APM network will connect Al Maktoum International Airport’s terminals and key facilities, helping improve passenger movement, reduce transfer times and support efficient airport operations.

The project forms part of Dubai’s broader plans to develop Al Maktoum International into one of the world’s largest aviation hubs. The airport is targeted to begin operations in 2032 and is ultimately expected to handle up to 260 million passengers annually.

The planned expansion is designed to accommodate growing regional and international air traffic while strengthening Dubai’s position as a major global aviation hub.

Source: Khaleej Times

Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to improve the efficiency, security and smooth operation of airport and cargo activities.

The commitment was made during a SAHCO delegation’s visit to AC Adamu, the newly appointed Commander of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

The visit focused on building on the existing relationship between SAHCO and the NCS through stronger communication, closer coordination and enhanced operational cooperation, particularly in the handling and movement of cargo.

Representing SAHCO Managing Director and CEO Adenike Aboderin, General Manager of Cargo Services Donald Adekunle welcomed the new CIU commander and pledged the company’s continued support for a professional and productive partnership with the Customs Service.

Adekunle said closer cooperation between the two organizations would help strengthen airport operations and improve coordination among key aviation stakeholders and government agencies.

He also emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in facilitating efficient cargo movement, reinforcing security procedures and enhancing service delivery across Nigeria’s airports.

The renewed cooperation comes as aviation and government agencies continue to focus on improving cargo-handling processes and maintaining secure and efficient airport operations.

Source: ZAWYA

SHARJAH, UAE: Sharjah Airport has achieved Level 3 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI), marking another milestone in its efforts to strengthen passenger services.

The airport first received Level 1 accreditation in 2022 before advancing to Level 2 in 2023 after establishing and implementing a customer experience strategy across its departments. It renewed its Level 2 status in 2025 and progressed to Level 3 in 2026.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said the latest accreditation reflected the airport’s focus on passenger satisfaction and its broader strategy to provide an integrated travel experience centered on quality and service excellence.

He said the achievement also supports Sharjah’s ambitions as a destination for travel, tourism and business.

According to Al Midfa, reaching Level 3 demonstrates the airport’s ability to collect and analyse passenger feedback and work with airport partners to turn that information into practical service improvements.

The accreditation assessment examined how the airport gathers and applies passenger feedback, coordinates with service providers and maintains a seamless passenger experience from arrival through departure.

As part of its progress toward Level 3, Sharjah Airport strengthened its customer feedback systems to better identify passenger expectations, pinpoint areas requiring improvement and respond more quickly to concerns.

The airport also increased coordination with airlines, ground-handling companies and other stakeholders to promote consistent service standards throughout the passenger journey.

Passenger satisfaction reports are now regularly distributed among airport departments, allowing teams to identify successful practices as well as areas requiring further attention. Employees across the airport community are also involved in improving passenger services, reinforcing shared responsibility for the overall travel experience.

ACI established its Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Programme to help airports assess and enhance passenger experience. The programme provides tools and expertise to help airports manage passenger journeys, develop improvement plans and identify opportunities to raise service quality.

Source: QCAA

DOHA, Qatar: Hamad International Airport (HIA) has reaffirmed its readiness to provide a smooth and comfortable arrival experience as passenger numbers increase in Doha following the summer holiday season.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the airport said it expects higher inbound traffic this August as students and families return ahead of the new academic year.

HIA has issued a series of guidelines designed to make arrival procedures easier and improve passenger convenience. Airport staff will remain available around the clock to assist travelers and their families, it said.

The guidance covers several aspects of the arrival process, including procedures for families traveling with young children and arrangements for meeting arriving passengers.

It also provides information on transportation options from the airport, including ride-hailing services, taxis, buses and the Doha Metro. Guidance on car rentals and baggage collection is also included.

The airport said the measures are intended to help passengers navigate the arrival process efficiently during the expected increase in traffic.

With August marking a key period for post-holiday travel, HIA is emphasizing operational preparedness and passenger support as more travelers return to Doha.

Source: QNA