Qatar Aeronautical Academy (QAA) and Qatar Airways signed an agreement during the Paris International Air Show which took place in France on 16-22 June 2025.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, a pilot training agreement accredited by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was signed between QAA, represented by Director-General of QAA HE Sheikh Jabor bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Qatar Airways Group, represented by Group CEO Eng. Badr Mohammed Al Meer.
The Academy is expected to train approximately 750 students over five years, opening promising horizons for joint cooperation, exchange of expertise, development of national competencies in the aviation sector, and creating outstanding opportunities for young people wishing to join this field.
Senior Vice President of Operations at Qatar Airways Captain Khalid Issa Al Hammadi said that this agreement reflects the ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of aviation professionals. Investment in the future of operations includes partnerships with leading global institutions and support for young talent to obtain the training and opportunities necessary to succeed in this dynamic industry.
He expressed the group’s pride in supporting initiatives that promote innovation, knowledge sharing, and long-term career growth in the advanced aviation sector. Al Hammadi noted that this agreement embodies Qatar Airways’ dedication to investing in the nation’s citizens and residents.
Qatar Aeronautical Academy (QAA) was founded in 1977 as the Civil Aviation College of the Gulf States. QAA is now the Gulf region’s leading provider of training for the aviation industry.
QAA offers full-time, approved courses for Pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Air Traffic Controllers, Meteorologists, Airport Operations Management Personnel and Flight Dispatchers, as well as short courses in a wide variety of aviation-related disciplines.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Airline’ for an unprecedented ninth time at the 2025 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. Qatar Airways was previously named the World’s Best Airline in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The airline continues to be synonymous with excellence, and has yet again received recognition for ‘World's Best Business Class’, and ‘World's Best Business Class Airline Lounge’. As the leading connector in the region, Qatar Airways has also been lauded with the ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ title for the twelfth time.
Qatar Airways currently flies to over 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for 11 consecutive years, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ for the third year in a row, as voted by Skytrax. Hamad International Airport has previously been named the ‘World’s Best Airport’ by Skytrax in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Qatar Airways was the first Airline in the Middle East to be certified to the highest level of IATA’s Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme, based on recognised environmental management system principles (such as ISO 14001). As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016, Qatar Airways became the first airline globally to be certified to the industry standard for the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking in aviation.
