Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) has announced that its Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks are fully prepared to welcome fans attending the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025 Finals, set to take place from December 1 to 18, 2025.

To accommodate the expected surge in passengers, both the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram will extend service hours on days with late matches, ensuring fans can return home conveniently after the events. The extended hours also apply to the Metrolink and MetroExpress services. Additionally, Park and Ride facilities will be available at selected stations, allowing fans to park their vehicles and continue their journey via public transport.

However, due to nearby match venues, the Park and Ride service at Education City will not be available on match days, and the Lusail QNB station Park and Ride will be closed throughout the tournament. Instead, fans can use the Park and Ride facility at Qatar University.

In response to the high demand during the tournament, Qatar Rail will deploy six-car trains on the Red Line and ensure that a full fleet of 110 trains is in operation during peak hours to maintain smooth passenger flow. Dedicated maintenance teams have been stationed across the network to address any potential issues quickly, and stations have been upgraded to accommodate the increased number of visitors.

To help guide fans during the tournament, Qatar Rail has installed additional wayfinding signage at key metro stations linked to the stadiums and deployed trained staff to assist passengers, including those with disabilities. Event teams will be stationed at high-footfall stations and stadiums, providing support and running dedicated ticketing desks to handle the expected demand.

Ajlan Eid Al Enazi, Chief of Strategy and Business Development at Qatar Rail, said, "We are excited to welcome fans aboard the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram during the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup Finals. In collaboration with our partners, we are committed to providing seamless and convenient journeys for fans while ensuring safety and exceptional service throughout the tournament."

The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup will be held across six stadiums: Lusail, Ahmad bin Ali, Al Bayt, Education City, Khalifa International, and Stadium 974. Five of these stadiums are within walking distance of the nearest metro station, including Lusail Stadium via Lusail QNB Station and Education City Stadium via Education City Station. Al Bayt Stadium will be connected by a dedicated shuttle bus service from Lusail QNB Station.

The FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025 finals, scheduled for December 10, 13, and 17, will take place at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.

For Lusail Tram services, the Orange Line will operate only between Legtaifiya and Al Wessil stations, while the Pink Line will run as usual. The Turquoise Line will be temporarily out of service due to safety requirements around Lusail Stadium and Lusail Boulevard. During the T100 Triathlon event, held from December 10 to 14, Pink Line services will operate only between Legtaifiya and Tarfat South station.

In addition, a 24/7 customer contact center will provide continuous support to residents and visitors. Fans can access information through Qatar Rail’s Customer Service Centre at 105, via WhatsApp at 44433105, or through the Qatar Rail mobile app.

To enhance fan safety and convenience, Qatar Rail advises travelers to plan their trips in advance, arrive early at stations, and follow guidance from customer service staff. Real-time service updates will be displayed on digital screens throughout the stations and trains during the tournament.

Qatar Rail is committed to ensuring smooth crowd movement, prioritizing passenger safety, and enhancing the fan experience across both the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks. Fans will also enjoy a range of retail services at stations, including food and beverage outlets, mini-marts, pharmacies, and sportswear shops.

For the latest updates and information, fans are encouraged to follow Qatar Rail’s official social media channels or contact the Customer Service Centre.

Malaysia Aviation Group, the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, is considering whether to introduce a green tax on passengers to help cover the rising cost of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), potentially adding to airfares.

Group chief Capt. Nasaruddin A. Bakar said Monday that the company was examining different options as airlines worldwide seek to reduce carbon emissions while facing high SAF prices and limited supplies.

“We are looking at all options,” Nasaruddin told The Associated Press on the sidelines of an aviation sustainability conference. He stressed that both passengers and airlines needed to be able to afford the transition to cleaner fuel.

Singapore, Malaysia’s neighbour, has already announced a government-mandated green aviation levy set to take effect in January 2027. Charges will vary according to destination and cabin class, making Singapore the first country to announce such a measure.

The aviation sector faces growing pressure to address its environmental impact as global air travel demand increases. The International Energy Agency estimates that aviation accounts for about 2.5% of annual global carbon emissions, while the UN-backed International Civil Aviation Organization has established a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

According to the aviation organisation, sustainable aviation fuel could reduce the industry's emissions by around 65%.

SAF is typically made from renewable materials, including used cooking oil, waste fats and agricultural residues. It can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used in existing aircraft without requiring changes to their engines.

However, its widespread adoption remains constrained by higher production costs, limited manufacturing capacity and restricted access to sustainable raw materials.

The International Air Transport Association estimates that SAF currently represents less than 1% of global jet fuel consumption, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing airlines as they work towards their emissions targets.

Source: Associated Press

SalamAir has entered into a distribution agreement with travel technology company Amadeus as the Omani low-cost airline steps up efforts to expand its international presence and reach new customer segments.

Under the agreement, travel sellers connected to the Amadeus Travel Platform will gain access to SalamAir's fares and services, allowing the airline to expand its distribution network and improve the availability of its products across global markets.

Steven Allen, chief commercial officer of SalamAir, said the partnership would support the airline's growth ambitions by strengthening its international market presence and making its services more accessible to travellers seeking affordable air travel.

The agreement forms part of SalamAir's broader strategy to diversify its sales channels, increase its global visibility and respond to rising travel demand across its expanding network.

Maher Koubaa, executive vice-president of the Travel Unit and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Amadeus, said the partnership reflected the company's commitment to supporting the low-cost airline sector. He added that Amadeus' technology solutions were designed to help low-cost carriers expand and compete in international markets.

Source: Oman Daily Observer

Emirates is expanding its Dubai-Durban schedule with 14 additional flights during the 2026-27 festive season, offering travellers more options during one of the busiest periods of the year.

The additional services will operate as a second daily flight between December 17 and 23, 2026, and January 2 and 8, 2027. The airline will deploy a three-class Boeing 777 on the route.

Flight EK2535 will depart Dubai at 04:00 and arrive in Durban at 10:30. The return service, EK2536, will leave Durban at 12:15 and land in Dubai at 22:30.

Emirates' existing daily flights, EK775 and EK776, will continue to operate according to their regular schedules.

The airline is also providing flexible booking options to help passengers manage changes to their travel plans. Customers booking flights to Dubai can change their travel dates an unlimited number of times without fees across all cabin classes. For tickets to other destinations, passengers are entitled to one complimentary date change.

Emirates' Hold My Fare service allows customers to reserve a ticket price for 24 hours at no additional cost. The airline has also reduced its refund fees.

Source: TradeArabia

Lufthansa has increased fuel loading on flights bound for Frankfurt Airport as a precautionary measure amid tighter jet fuel supplies caused by reduced pipeline capacity.

The airline said on Thursday that the move was intended to manage potential supply constraints at Germany’s largest aviation hub. Airport operator Fraport confirmed that routine maintenance was under way on a pipeline supplying jet fuel to the airport.

Fraport said the maintenance had been factored into its operational planning and was not expected to cause a fuel supply bottleneck. Alternative supply routes and sufficient storage capacity were helping to mitigate potential disruption.

“The airport's operational capability is therefore not affected,” Fraport said.

Lufthansa said it was not currently anticipating any flight cancellations as a result of the situation.

German newspaper Bild first reported the additional fuelling measures, citing internal instructions reportedly issued to Lufthansa pilots on selected routes. The practice, known as “tankering”, involves carrying more fuel than required for a flight so that an aircraft needs less or no refuelling at its destination.

According to Bild, the additional fuel carried by Airbus A320-family aircraft is limited to eight tonnes to ensure the planes can still be towed on the ground. The measures primarily affect short-haul services, although some long-haul flights are increasingly being included.

The precautionary steps are intended to give Lufthansa greater flexibility in managing its fuel requirements while pipeline maintenance continues at Frankfurt Airport.

Source: Reuters

Turkish Airlines has signed a strategic agreement with CFM International to strengthen engine maintenance capabilities and support the expansion of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet.

The long-term services agreement will cover the airline group's entire LEAP-1B engine fleet, including engines already ordered and delivered, spare engines, units installed on leased aircraft and potential future options. The combined total exceeds 600 engines operated by Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary, AJet.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during a ceremony in Istanbul by Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Murat Şeker; Turkish Technic CEO and Board Member, Mikail Akbulut; and Safran CEO Olivier Andriès. Safran is one of the two parent companies of CFM International.

The agreement also includes a material services arrangement to support the development of an engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Türkiye.

Şeker said the partnership would help Turkish Airlines accommodate fleet and network growth while improving operational efficiency. He added that the expanded services agreement would provide the technical expertise and long-term support required to develop LEAP engine maintenance capabilities.

Akbulut said the agreement would enable Turkish Technic to undertake comprehensive LEAP engine maintenance. He also reaffirmed the company's commitment to investing in engine services alongside its existing aircraft and component maintenance operations.

Andriès described the MoU as another milestone in a relationship with Turkish Airlines that has lasted nearly four decades. He said the agreement reflected both companies' ambitions to support the airline's growth and fleet expansion, while promoting an open MRO ecosystem offering flexible, competitive services to improve operational performance and control costs.

GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. also welcomed the agreement, highlighting Turkish Airlines' extensive international network and its confidence in CFM engines. He said the partnership would build on the companies' established relationship as the airline expands its Istanbul operations and engine maintenance capabilities.

Turkish Airlines currently operates 96 Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft powered by CFM56-7B engines and 79 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft equipped with LEAP-1B engines.

CFM said it had delivered more than 10,000 LEAP engines during the 10 years since the engine entered service, with the fleet accumulating over 100 million flight hours. The manufacturer continues to introduce upgrades, including a high-pressure turbine durability kit designed to extend time on wing and a reverse bleed system (RBS).

The agreement is expected to strengthen Turkish Airlines' long-standing relationship with CFM International and support the integration of newly ordered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into its expanding fleet. The planned engine MRO facility will also enhance Turkish Technic's ability to provide comprehensive maintenance services.

Source: Turkish Airlines