Qatar Airways has become the first airline in the world to achieve compliance with the International Air Transport Association (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 optimised handling process.

Qatar Airways group chief executive 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.”

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 June 1, 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. - TradeArabia News Service