Doha: Following the gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions across Qatar, Hamad International Airport (HIA) is applying newly modified procedures for arriving passengers. The airport has customised its procedures based on the categorization of arriving passengers, hence ensuring a smooth return to the country:
Group One: Qatari citizens, their spouses and children, permanent residency holders.
Group Two: includes vulnerable passengers that have certain identified medical conditions or are aged 55 and above.
Group Three: passengers arriving from ‘low-risk countries’
Group Four: passengers arriving from ‘high-risk countries’.
To see the latest list of countries classified as high and low-risk of COVID-19, you can visit the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) website.
Below are the procedures that are being implemented at HIA:
– All arriving passengers will be thermally screened at the airport.
– Passengers must have the EHTERAZ mobile application downloaded and installed on a smartphone which requires a SIM card. Volunteers are available to help set up passengers with the EHTERAZ App. Smartphones and SIM cards are also available for purchase at the airport.
– All passengers are required to fill in a health assessment form and sign a quarantine pledge agreement (preferably filled before arrival into Doha and submitted upon arrival).
– Passengers who are coming to Qatar from ‘high-risk countries’ will proceed to immigration and show their hotel booking to the immigration officer.
– Once all arrival formalities are done, passengers will be transported to their quarantine hotel with Discover Qatar.
– All other arriving passengers will be diverted to designated airport testing facilities where they will receive swab tests.
– After testing is complete, passengers will then proceed to immigration for entry processing.
– These passengers can use private transportation to their home quarantine. The airport’s taxi pavilion is also available.
HIA has planned and executed comprehensive COVID-19 safety procedures, keeping every passenger journey in mind whether they are arriving, departing, or transferring through the five-star airport.
To ensure the health and wellbeing of its staff and passengers, HIA introduced a series of unprecedented measures including the implementation of robotics and advanced thermal screening helmets.
The five-star airport is keen on the safety of its passengers and employees and are continuously cleaning and disinfecting all high contact areas every 10-15 minutes. Hand sanitisers are also readily available for passengers at key locations across the airport. The airport maintains 1.5m social distancing across all passenger touchpoints around the airport, through floor markings, signage, and distance seating.
