The Australian government said on Thursday (September 7) that a strip search of female passengers at Qatar's Hamad International Airport played a part in its decision this year to stop Qatar Airways from selling more flights to Australia.

The Australian government said on Thursday (September 7) that a strip search of female passengers at Qatar's Hamad International Airport played a part in its decision this year to stop Qatar Airways from selling more flights to Australia. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the Australian government denied it was acting due to pressure from Qantas Airways. Addressing a press conference in Canberra, Australian Transport Minister Catherine King said that the invasive body searches of female passengers, which included five Australian women, at the airport in 2020 were the context for the decision to deny the airline more flights to Australia in July this year. Minister mentions another incident as reason for blocking flights King said, "It wasn't the only factor. It was a factor." She referred to another incident, where women were taken off a Qatar Airways plane and forced to undergo medical examination after the discovery of an abandoned baby at the airport. The Qatar government later apologised. The minister also said it was nonsense to suggest that adding more Qatar Airways flights would have put downward pressure on international fares. Women's experiences were...: Australian minister Transport Minister King further told reporters that the women's experiences were pretty frankly, not anything the government would expect anyone, and certainly not Australians travelling on an international airline, to experience. According to an Al-Jazeera report on Thursday, the five Australian women were suing Qatar Airways and the state-run Qatar Civil Aviation Authority over the 2020 incident. In June, their lawyers sent King a letter which described Qatar Airways as “not fit to carry passengers around the globe let alone to major Australian airports.” In July, King formally rejected the airline's bid to add flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and said the proposal was not in Australia’s national interests. Al-Jazeera reported that the Australian government has been under fire for blocking Qatar Airways’ proposal. Critics, meanwhile, have accused the government of Qantas’s profits at the expense of consumers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Strip-search of women at Qatar airport factor in denial of more Qatar Airways flights to Australia

Skytrax, the world's largest airline consultancy group, has published its 2021 World Airport Awards, presenting rankings for the most popular international airports around the world.&nbsp;Hamad International Airport in Doha has been honoured as the world's best airport.&nbsp;

In addition to this, it has also won the Best Airport in the Middle East award. The airport was honoured with three more awards, the World's Best Airport in the category of 25 to 35 million passengers,&nbsp;Doha’s Hamad International Airport has been named the world’s best airport, as well as the Best Airport Staff in the Middle East in the 2021 World Airport Awards.

The rankings are based on traveller experience between August 2020 and July 2021, which formed the basis of this year's awards.

From check-in to arrivals to transfers, the survey evaluated different parameters such as shopping, security and immigration. Other parameters like ease of baggage claim, departure at the gate, were also evaluated in this survey that examines traveller experiences across a range of airport services and products.

Since the global pandemic began nearly 18 months ago, many industries have faced the challenge of survival. Instead of focusing on profits, businesses and industries had to focus on merely staying afloat.&nbsp;It was essential for them to invest in the safety of both their customers and employees.

The world air transport industry has also experienced the most challenging and financially difficult period it has ever seen.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> impacted some airports and regions more than the others, with many located in areas with no or few international flights for more than a year.

Taking into account the state of travel during the pandemic i.e, in&nbsp;2020-21, this year's survey also included a COVID-19 section.

The second and third position was bagged by&nbsp;Tokyo Haneda Airport and&nbsp;Singapore Changi Airport.

Skytrax, the world's largest airline consultancy group, has published its 2021 World Airport Awards, presenting rankings for the most popular international airports around the world.

Skytrax, the world's largest airline consultancy group, has published its 2021 World Airport Awards, presenting rankings for the most popular international airports around the world. Hamad International Airport in Doha has been honoured as the world's best airport. In addition to this, it has also won the Best Airport in the Middle East award. The airport was honoured with three more awards, the World's Best Airport in the category of 25 to 35 million passengers, Doha’s Hamad International Airport has been named the world’s best airport, as well as the Best Airport Staff in the Middle East in the 2021 World Airport Awards. The rankings are based on traveller experience between August 2020 and July 2021, which formed the basis of this year's awards. From check-in to arrivals to transfers, the survey evaluated different parameters such as shopping, security and immigration. Other parameters like ease of baggage claim, departure at the gate, were also evaluated in this survey that examines traveller experiences across a range of airport services and products. Since the global pandemic began nearly 18 months ago, many industries have faced the challenge of survival. Instead of focusing on profits, businesses and industries had to focus on merely staying afloat. It was essential for them to invest in the safety of both their customers and employees. The world air transport industry has also experienced the most challenging and financially difficult period it has ever seen. COVID-19 impacted some airports and regions more than the others, with many located in areas with no or few international flights for more than a year. Taking into account the state of travel during the pandemic i.e, in 2020-21, this year's survey also included a COVID-19 section. The second and third position was bagged by Tokyo Haneda Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.

Hamad International Airport honoured as world's best airport

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Strip-search of women at Qatar airport factor in denial of more Qatar Airways flights to Australia

Hamad International Airport honoured as world's best airport