Qatar Airways does another global first to comply with IATA Resolution 753

QATAR AIRWAYS – AN AIRLINE WHICH EXCELS IN BREAKING NEW GROUND

(Posted 18th April 2017)

Aviation is a business in which much is predictable and much, sadly, is not.

But when it comes to global firsts, Qatar Airways is a name which immediately comes to my mind, and for a good reason, making this particular airline entirely predictable.

The first airline to attain 5 star ranking by global aviation rating agency Skytrax is perhaps the highest profile such first, but many others followed since, keeping the carpenters at the airline headoffices in Doha busy making new cabinets to house yet more trophies as they make their way to Qatar.

Today did the airline announce that it became the first in the world to fully comply with the IATA resolution 753 at its hub in Hamad International Airport (HIA).

The resolution requires the airline to track every piece of baggage from the start of the journey all the way through to its finish. The certification has been achieved thanks to the airline’s Baggage Management System (“HAQIBA”) developed in-house, as well as its seamless real time integration with the Qatar Airways website and mobile app.

Qatar Airways offers real time updates on checked baggage through the “Track My Bags” feature on its website and mobile app, providing passengers with a truly hassle-free baggage experience. The mobile app provides real time notification to passengers with relevant updates on the bag, as well as the ability to retrieve the details on need basis using “My Trips”.

The information includes various stages of the baggage handling process such as check-in, transfer, arrival, as well as reference to bag tags and baggage belt. This information guides passengers during the journey and provides insight into any instance of delayed or lost baggage. The HAQIBA system enables Qatar Airways’ staff to proactively manage the delayed bags to provide an optimized handling process.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: ‘Our careful attention to our passengers’ baggage, from the beginning of their journey all the way through to its finish, is yet another indication of the importance we place on customer experience. We have proactively taken steps to align our baggage management systems with IATA’s requirements. As a result, we are delighted that the association has declared Qatar Airways the first airline worldwide to become certified for end-to-end tracking for our hub at Hamad International Airport‘.

(Qatar Airways Meets (IATA) Requirements 753 one year ahead of the IATA deadline)

Nick Careen, Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security for IATA, said: ‘Qatar Airways’ efforts over the past year to comply with IATA Resolution 753 on Baggage Tracking have paid off. We congratulate the airline on becoming the first in the world to achieve full compliance of the resolution at their hub in Doha. Qatar Airways’ ability to track baggage at every stage of its journey will allow the airline full visibility to manage its baggage operations and to more easily trace, retrieve and deliver missing or delayed bags, leading to a better experience for passengers‘.

Resolution 753 was developed to reduce mishandling and baggage fraud, increase passenger satisfaction and enhance the overall baggage management landscape at airports around the world. The resolution was issued in 2016 and made mandatory for all IATA airlines, who have until the 01st of June, 2018 to comply.The certificate was presented to Qatar Airways’ Doha hub Hamad International Airport (HIA); once all its stations in the network are compliant with the resolution, IATA will award the airline a platinum certificate.

This year, HIA was ranked the Sixth Best Airport in the World by the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards, as well as having been named Best Airport in the Middle East for the third consecutive year. The airport was also named as having the Best Staff Service in the Middle East for the second year in the a row.

The award winning airline serves Eastern Africa with multiple daily flights, operating from Doha once a day to Entebbe and Kigali as it does to Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar using an Airbus A320 on the routes. Nairobi will be Qatar Airways’ first East African destination to see a switch from the single aisle aircraft later in the year to a wide body for both its daily frequencies.