Doha, September 09 (QNA) - Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Airways Abdullah Ali affirmed that the accumulated expertise and lessons learned from managing crises and major events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, formed the core foundation that enabled the carrier to efficiently and adeptly contain and overcome the repercussions of the total airspace closure witnessed in the region on February 28.
During an open media day organized by Qatar Airways to showcase several vital back-end facilities, including the Integrated Operations Center, aircraft maintenance and repair hangars, and the Customer Support and Disruption Management Center at Hamad International Airport, the Chief Operating Officer explained that this advance readiness resulted in the success of the comprehensive emergency plan adopted by Qatar Airways during the crisis. 
The plan successfully safeguarded, accommodated, and rescheduled the flights of approximately 16,400 stranded passengers, both inside the State of Qatar and across various external stations throughout the carrier's international network, until they safely reached their final destinations.
He pointed out that the dedicated operational facilities and installations at Hamad International Airport were activated immediately to provide rapid response and direct support to passengers. 
He stressed that the security and safety of passengers and crew members remained the absolute top priorities around which all plans and alternative solutions were designed during the exceptional crisis, which left about 8,000 passengers stranded inside Doha alongside another 8,400 passengers stranded at external stations across the global network. This required urgent and comprehensive logistical mobilization to absorb the massive numbers and ensure their comfort.
The COO explained that in the absence of a clear vision at the onset of the crisis regarding the specific timeline for reopening the airspace, the carrier made an immediate decision to transfer all stranded passengers in Doha to hotel facilities, providing full lodging and board requirements at the company's expense. 
The airline supplied over 15,000 meals to passengers inside Hamad International Airport during their waiting period for transport arrangements, while booking approximately 15,600 hotel rooms distributed across 61 hotels throughout Doha to host all stranded individuals.
Abdullah Ali noted that Qatar Airways deployed its field staff to the 61 hotels 24 hours a day to provide direct support, maintain continuous coordination with guests, and evaluate available operational solutions to rebook their flights and transport them back to their home countries or final destinations. 
Qatar Airways Chief Operating Officer Abdullah Ali detailed the innovative logistical solutions deployed during last Ramadan's airspace shutdown, highlighting multi-modal transport networks and an unprecedented surge in customer support demand.
Speaking further on the crisis response, Ali explained that the airline coordinated with Mowasalat and Saudia to arrange special flights from Jeddah to Dammam, followed by chartered bus transfers across the border to reunite stranded passengers with their families in Doha. 
Similar land operations transported travelers from Doha to Riyadh, complemented by an exceptional flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt for passengers whose journeys originated in Qatar.
Internally, call centers faced a staggering operational hurdle, handling over 70,000 daily interactions, more than double normal volumes. By swiftly reallocating service personnel and expanding shift capacity, the airline managed to rebook an unprecedented 8,000 passengers per day.
For the 8,400 travelers stranded across the global network, Ali credited close collaboration with Qatar's Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, alongside international embassies. Beginning March 7, just one week after the initial February 28 closure, Qatar Airways launched targeted evacuation and repatriation flights in coordination with diplomatic missions, ensuring every passenger safely reached their destination.
Ali attributed these successes to a unified organizational structure integrating airline and airport management under a single umbrella, providing a critical competitive edge for rapid decision-making.
He reaffirmed that Qatar Airways continues to refine its operational framework to tackle future challenges while prioritizing absolute safety and service excellence. (QNA)