Doha                                                                                                                                                                                  23 April 2018

Qatar Airways announced today that it will be hosting 31^st annual IATA Ground Handling Conference, taking place from 23–25 April in Doha.

The conference, the first of its kind to take place in the Middle East was attended by Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications of Qatar and over 700 international delegates and guests from more than a dozen nations globally.

Al Sulaiti said “We are tremendously proud to be hosting the 31^st Annual IATA Ground Handling Conference, the first time this gathering is taking place in the Middle East. It is significant that Doha has been chosen as the inaugural host in the Middle East. The fact that so many delegates have chosen to attend this year’s conference is a demonstration of confidence in both Qatar Airways and the State of Qatar. We look forward to a successful gathering, and welcome all in attendance to the State of Qatar.”

A video highlighting Qatar Airways’ resilience amidst the illegal blockade against the State of Qatar was shown, as well as an additional video highlighting the airline’s many significant achievements during the past twenty years.

At a packed press conference, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker announced that its ground handling subsidiary, Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) will begin international expansion in 2018. Expanding QAS’s operations internationally will enhance Qatar Airways’ rapid growth pans, as well as provide other airlines and airports access to QAS’s capabilities and the profit and performance improvements that it deliver to its customers.

Al Baker said:  “The decision to launch QAS internationally is a logical business decision. Our Ground Services division contracts with ground handlers across our extensive global network of more than 150 global destinations measuring their key performance indicators, and QAS is without doubt a global leader in this area.”

“It is significant that our plans for international expansion were announced at the IGHC, since we have a long-term relationship with IATA. The QAS management team holds key positions on the IATA technical working groups, proposing and implementing developments that improve standards across the aviation industry. By being the best in a high-tech, high-traffic, and high-growth environment, we provide innovative solutions for our customers that they don’t have access to through other ground handling agents.”

Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) is an award-winning, premier ground handling organisation headquartered at Hamad International Airport (HIA). Since its establishment in 2000, QAS has developed a reputation as a premium provider of world-class ground services.

QAS is certified in IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), ISO 9001, RA3 (Regulated Agent) and is a member of the IATA Ground Handling Partnership, proactively participating in various IATA technical groups such as IATA Ground Operations Manual, Load Control & Messaging, Ground Service Equipment & Environment and Airside Safety Group.