Qatar
Workshop looks at HIA disability access requirements for World Cup
Workshop looks at HIA disability access requirements for World Cup
Each year more than half-a-million people with disabilities use HIA. The airport – which in January 2017 was awarded a Five-Star rating by Skytrax – has gone to great lengths to ensure a smooth passage is available to all passengers, and invited the delegation to showcase its achievements.SC community engagement manager Khalid al-Jumaily praised HIA for their steadfast commitment towards providing accessibility features. “The team at HIA has worked tirelessly to provide a five-star service to all passengers,” he said. “The airport already serves as a global hub for millions of travelers from across the world, and we have been delighted to see they have put accessibility at the forefront of all their plans when designing and building it.“The SC is also dedicated to ensuring every fan who visits Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has the same experience everywhere they go, throughout their stay. “Working closely with key stakeholders such as HIA is essential to ensuring we all reach this goal – and the Accessibility Forum representatives were delighted to play their part today.”Since its inception in November 2016, the Accessibility Forum, which also comprises of various NGOs, private organisations, government bodies and people with disabilities, has worked closely with HIA.As part of the continued collaboration, members of the group were given a tour of accessibility features inbuilt into the airport design such as short-term parking facilities near the terminal, customised elevators and walkways, passenger and companion washrooms, seating area at the gates, passenger lounge and relief area for guide dogs accompanying passengers who are visually impaired.