Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Duty Free Global from Ireland, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
QATAR. Today we bring you a second round of images from Hamad International Airport (HIA), after our earlier edition featuring shots from The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie snapped yesterday (25 February), while he was transferring en route from London Heathrow to Hong Kong International Airport.
Martin’s story featured a wide array of HIA’s commercial and cultural attractions, including a spotlight on how the airport is treating the holy month of Ramadan with impressive and visually stunning effect.
You can see his iPhone images further down the page but first we present a ravishingly pictorial Hamad International and Qatar Duty Free focus on Ramadan.
Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free (QDF) anticipate hosting over 4 million passengers from around the world during Ramadan. The terminal is featuring a variety of unique experiences, designed to create moments of reflection and connection throughout the holy month.
This year’s highlight is The Orchard, the indoor garden that serves as the centerpiece of the airport’s Ramadan transformation.
Drawing inspiration from the lunar cycle, the mesmerising installation encapsulates the essence of the holy month and represents the various phases of the Moon from the initial crescent that signals the start of Ramadan to the final crescent that marks the celebration of Eid AlFitr.
As passengers move through The Orchard this Ramadan, evolving lights, sculptural forms and interactive features transform the garden pathways into moments of pause and contemplation, where the lunar phases are revealed and passengers are invited to engage with the cyclical intention of the holy month.
Calm Majlis-style areas inspired by traditional areas of gathering across the region are arranged throughout the lower level of the tropical garden, with ambient lighting.
At sunset, a dedicated lighting experience is activated across the space, shifting the atmosphere to a warm glow that marks the close of the day’s fast and reflects the communal nature of Ramadan evenings. ✈
OUR EARLIER STORY
QATAR. I snapped today’s images at Hamad International Airport yesterday (25 February), while transferring en route from London Heathrow to Hong Kong International Airport, writes Martin Moodie.
It was a tight transfer but it didn’t feel like it. Partly because passengers coming from certain trusted airports (such as Heathrow) don’t have to be rescreened.
That left me time to enjoy the sheer majesty of this airport, particularly as my Hong Kong flight was departing from Gate C22 down in the wondrous zone dubbed The Orchard. And, as always with Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free, I made some new discoveries along the way.
It is Ramadan in the Islamic world and the airport, as the photos below reveal, is treating the holy period with trademark respect.
Here are some of my favourite shots from an all-too truncated visit. ✈
