Latest news with #PassengerTerminalExpo
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Matarat Holding and Thales to boost digital transformation in Saudi Arabia's airport sector
Matarat and Thales will explore applications of smart technologies to modernize airport operations and management, driving digital transformation across Matarat's network. The partnership will also enable the implementation of advanced digital platforms and next-generation infrastructures in Matarat Airports. Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Matarat Holding has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies. This strategic partnership, signed at Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid, Spain, seeks to drive innovation, operational efficiency, and improved passenger experience through digital solutions and collaborative technological advancements. Matarat Holding leads manage the operations of 27 airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its subsidiaries (Riyadh Airports, Jeddah Airports, Dammam Airports, and Cluster 2), and the MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation across multiple strategic areas of aviation development. Through this partnership, Thales will implement its expertise in smart technologies to modernize airport operations and management, driving digital transformation across Matarat's subsidiaries. The collaboration will focus on sharing innovation and best practices to enhance service quality, streamline operational processes, and adopt future-ready solutions that set new industry standards. A key priority of the agreement is enhancing the traveler experience by leveraging Thales's advanced capabilities in AI, biometrics, automation, and data-driven systems to create seamless andsecure passenger journeys. The partnership will also enable the implementation of advanced digital platforms and next-generation infrastructure in Matarat Airports. Bernard Roux, CEO of Thales in Saudi Arabia and Central Asia, emphasized the partnership's significance: "This collaboration with Matarat Holding represents a transformative step in reshaping the future of Saudi aviation. By combining Thales's expertise in digital transformation with Matarat's operational excellence, we are not just implementing technologies - we are co-creating a smart and safe aviation ecosystem. Our joint solutions in AI, cybersecurity and connected systems will set new benchmarks for operational efficiency, enhanced passenger experience, and national security, directly contributing to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ambitions to become a global aviation leader."
Gulf Insider
19-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain Named World's Cleanest Airport In 2025 By Skytrax
Bahrain International Airport has achieved global recognition as the World's Cleanest Airport for 2025 in the category of airports handling up to 25 million passengers, according to the UK- based air transport rating organization, Skytrax. This prestigious distinction places Bahrain at the forefront of global aviation hygiene standards, further reinforcing the Kingdom's commitment to excellence in travel infrastructure and passenger experience. Japan also celebrated significant success, with Tokyo Haneda Airport earning the title of the World's Cleanest Major International Airport, topping the global list for cleanliness among high- traffic terminals. The Japanese capital's gateway outshined other prominent hubs, while Centrair Nagoya, Tokyo Narita, Kansai, and Osaka Itami were also ranked among the cleanest airports in the world across both main and mid-sized categories. In Skytrax's World's Cleanest Airports 2025 (Up to 25 Million Passengers) list, Bahrain led the top 10, followed by: Bahrain International Airport New Chitose Airport (Japan) Centrair Nagoya (Japan) Osaka Itami Airport (Japan) Helsinki-Vantaa (Finland) Adelaide Airport (Australia) Cam Ranh International Airport (Vietnam) Quito International Airport (Ecuador) Houston Hobby Airport (USA) Brisbane Airport (Australia) Meanwhile, Singapore Changi Airport reclaimed the top honor as the World's Best Airport 2025, receiving multiple accolades including the World's Best Airport Dining, Best Airport Washrooms, and Best Airport in Asia. This marks the 13th time Changi has secured the leading title at the World Airport Awards, held last month at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid. Yam Kum Weng, CEO of Changi Airport Group, expressed gratitude for the continued recognition: 'Changi Airport is honoured to be named by Skytrax as the World's Best Airport for the 13th time. It is indeed gratifying to receive this recognition, which certainly encourages us to continue striving to provide the best travel experience.' Doha's Hamad International Airport, previously a three-time winner of the World's Best Airport title, was ranked second overall in 2025 and won awards for the World's Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport in the Middle East. Tokyo Haneda Airport claimed third place globally in overall rankings, followed by: Singapore Changi Seoul Incheon Hong Kong International Centrair Nagoya Tokyo Narita Kansai International Taiwan Taoyuan Zurich Airport Dubai International (DXB) The dual triumph for Bahrain and Japan in cleanliness rankings highlights the rising importance of passenger hygiene satisfaction, especially in a post-pandemic era. These awards also serve as a testament to national and airport-level efforts in elevating global travel standards. Also read: GASTAT: Total Number of Passengers at Saudi Airports Jumps 15% to Over 128 Million in 2024
Daily Tribune
18-05-2025
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Named World's Cleanest Airport in 2025 by Skytrax
TDT | Manama Bahrain International Airport has achieved global recognition as the World's Cleanest Airport for 2025 in the category of airports handling up to 25 million passengers, according to the UK-based air transport rating organization, Skytrax. This prestigious distinction places Bahrain at the forefront of global aviation hygiene standards, further reinforcing the Kingdom's commitment to excellence in travel infrastructure and passenger experience. Japan also celebrated significant success, with Tokyo Haneda Airport earning the title of the World's Cleanest Major International Airport, topping the global list for cleanliness among high-traffic terminals. The Japanese capital's gateway outshined other prominent hubs, while Centrair Nagoya, Tokyo Narita, Kansai, and Osaka Itami were also ranked among the cleanest airports in the world across both main and mid-sized categories. In Skytrax's World's Cleanest Airports 2025 (Up to 25 Million Passengers) list, Bahrain led the top 10, followed by: Bahrain International Airport New Chitose Airport (Japan) Centrair Nagoya (Japan) Osaka Itami Airport (Japan) Helsinki-Vantaa (Finland) Adelaide Airport (Australia) Cam Ranh International Airport (Vietnam) Quito International Airport (Ecuador) Houston Hobby Airport (USA) Brisbane Airport (Australia) Singapore Changi Airport Meanwhile, Singapore Changi Airport reclaimed the top honor as the World's Best Airport 2025, receiving multiple accolades including the World's Best Airport Dining, Best Airport Washrooms, and Best Airport in Asia. This marks the 13th time Changi has secured the leading title at the World Airport Awards, held last month at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid. Yam Kum Weng, CEO of Changi Airport Group, expressed gratitude for the continued recognition: 'Changi Airport is honoured to be named by Skytrax as the World's Best Airport for the 13th time. It is indeed gratifying to receive this recognition, which certainly encourages us to continue striving to provide the best travel experience.' Doha's Hamad International Airport, previously a three-time winner of the World's Best Airport title, was ranked second overall in 2025 and won awards for the World's Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport in the Middle East. Tokyo Haneda Airport Tokyo Haneda Airport claimed third place globally in overall rankings, followed by: Singapore Changi Seoul Incheon Hong Kong International Centrair Nagoya Tokyo Narita Kansai International Taiwan Taoyuan Zurich Airport Dubai International (DXB) The dual triumph for Bahrain and Japan in cleanliness rankings highlights the rising importance of passenger hygiene satisfaction, especially in a post-pandemic era. These awards also serve as a testament to national and airport-level efforts in elevating global travel standards.
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Qatar's Hamad Airport Holds Steady In New Rankings As Duty-Free Offer Expands
A series of rankings were unveiled today and last week that are often reliable indicators of current and future duty-free retail performances at airports. One airport, Qatar's Hamad International, maintained its standing across all these lists. Last week's 2025 Skytrax Awards saw the Qatar Airways hub, opened in 2014, lose its crown as the world's top airport to Singapore Changi; the latter returning to the number one spot, as voted by air travelers around the world. Hamad International dropped to second place as the Singapore hub recovered traffic volumes after Covid, but it retained pole position as best airport in the Middle East for the 11th consecutive year. The biggest movers in the global Top 10, released at Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid, were Dubai International, which dropped out, slipping from 7th last year to 11th in 2025, while Hong Kong International and Rome's Fiumicino airport climbed to 6th and 8th respectively, from 11th and 12th. Today, global airport association, Airports Council International (ACI), released its definitive preview list of 2024's busiest international airports for traffic. While Doha is ranked 10th with 52.7 million passengers, it is now 36% ahead of pre-pandemic 2019, indicating the progress the airport has made in recent years in building capacity and hub connections. This is in sharp contrast to several European hubs, notably Germany's Frankfurt, which is still 11% down on 2019, but remains on an infrastructure expansion path. Only Turkey's Istanbul Airport—where travel retail Gebr. Heinemann and its local partners have the core retail business—has shown better results since 2019, with 59% growth. However, this reflects, in part, a change in location from Istanbul's previous pre-pandemic hub of Atatürk to a much larger, new gateway. Heinemann has gained handsomely from the growth, which has also been fueled by Turkish Airlines' unswerving focus on network expansion. A third ranking, also from Skytrax, saw Hamad International see off some stiff competition from the likes of London Heathrow and Singapore Changi, to win the award for the world's best airport shopping for the third year running. Retail at the airport, with a slew of luxury brands present, is operated by Qatar Airways subsidiary Qatar Duty Free (QDF) which saw high sales growth of 18% last year. The three rankings combined put QDF in a good position for the rest of 2025, on the back of continuing traffic growth. Last year, the retailer launched more than 18 new retail outlets and created high-impact campaigns with luxury brands like Chanel and YSL. This year, the official opening of further terminal extensions in the form of concourses D and E at the end of March has added almost 30,000 square feet (2,700 square meters) of new retail space in the terminal, boosting the airport's capacity to more than 65 million. Hamad Airport's chief operating officer, Hamad Ali Al Khater, said: 'Our focus is to deliver operational excellence that supports both current demands and future growth. Concourses D and E mark a significant milestone in expanding our capacity. This combined development streamlines passenger flow, optimizes resource management, and strengthens airline connectivity.' The concourses complete the airport's development plan (started in 2018), adding 17 new aircraft contact gates to push the total to 62. They also introduced about 10 new retail and dining outlets, including a souk-style market, Joe & The Juice, Accessories Lab, plus luxury Fendi and Giorgio Armani stores. QDF declined to provide details of all the stores, but the larger footprint should help the retailer to ramp up growth this year. A 25th anniversary campaign is also coming soon, plus a total of 25 retail and food and beverage outlets are expected by the year-end to mark the occasion. QDF's data-sharing platform, 36Q, launched in late 2024, will be instrumental to future sales gains. In a statement, the company said: '36Q empowers QDF and its partners to deliver hyper-personalized experiences—whether it is luxury splurges or daily essentials.' Personalization is high on the priority list. Hamad International now has more than 200 retail and dining outlets, but Qatar Duty Free continues to hunt for retail experiences that travelers will see as unique, exclusive, and that cannot be found anywhere else.
Trade Arabia
14-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Riyadh Airport ranks 24th globally in Skytrax 2025 list
Riyadh Airports Company (RAC), which manages and operates King Khalid International Airport, announced that the airport achieved 24th place in Skytrax's 2025 World Airport Awards — climbing 11 spots from the previous year and ranking highest among Saudi airports in the global survey of 580 airports, reported SPA. The announcement was made during the Passenger Terminal Expo held in Madrid, Spain, from April 8 to 10. The airport won Skytrax's 2025 "Best Airport Staff' in the Middle East award, ranked third for 'Best New Airport Terminal' globally, and secured fourth place in the "Best Airport Worldwide' 30-40 million passengers category. The awards were presented by Skytrax, the global organization evaluating airlines and airports since 1999. RAC chief executive Ayman bin Abdulaziz AboAbah described the airport's advancement to the higher ranking as the most significant achievement of the year, considering it a testament from passengers and users who experienced its services across hundreds of arriving and departing flights.
