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.

Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) has signed a cooperation agreement with Delta Air Lines aimed at expanding direct air links between the Kingdom and the United States.

The agreement, signed during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, supports plans for Delta to introduce direct flights between Riyadh and Atlanta. The new connection is expected to give US travellers greater access to Saudi Arabia while providing additional travel options between the two countries.

The planned service is expected to provide more than 85,000 round-trip seats each year and will be operated with Airbus A350 aircraft.

ACP CEO Ahmed Albrahim said the partnership represents an important step in strengthening direct connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the US.

According to Albrahim, the Riyadh-Atlanta route will also connect travellers to Delta’s broader North American network, improving access to Saudi Arabia from key international markets.

He said partnerships with major global airlines support ACP’s strategy of developing routes with significant strategic and economic value. Such connections, he added, can provide passengers with access to wider international networks rather than serving only as direct links between two cities.

Albrahim said ACP will continue working with aviation and tourism partners to attract more international airlines and increase seat capacity from priority markets.

The agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to expand international air connectivity, establish direct links with key markets and advance the Kingdom’s tourism and aviation objectives under Vision 2030.

Source: ZAWYA

Dubai Airports expects Dubai International Airport (DXB) to handle about 70 million passengers in 2026, a significant reduction from its earlier forecast of nearly 100 million, CEO Paul Griffiths said on Thursday.

The revision follows the Iran war and temporary closures of Gulf airspace, which disrupted flight operations across the region and forced the airport operator to abandon its previous passenger target.

DXB recorded 31.5 million passengers during the first half of 2026, compared with 46 million in the same period a year earlier. Griffiths said airport capacity has since recovered to 84% of pre-war levels, while passenger volumes have reached 78%.

The expected return of several European airlines that suspended regional services because of the conflict has helped underpin the revised outlook. Griffiths said he expects operations to be "pretty much back" to normal by the end of the year.

He added that both transfer and point-to-point travel markets remain strong, while business travel continues to perform well.

India, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom continue to be Dubai's leading passenger markets, according to Griffiths.

Looking beyond 2026, he said advances in smaller, longer-range aircraft could enable DXB to expand its network further. The airport currently has direct connections to around 240 cities, a figure that could rise by mid-2027.

Griffiths said Dubai Airports is already in discussions with airlines about launching routes between Dubai and cities in Europe and Africa that currently have no direct services.

The disruption caused by the conflict could also influence the design of Dubai's planned new airport, he said, with possible changes aimed at making the facility more resilient to future disruptions.

Source: ZAWYA

Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah has secured Level 2 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI World), highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance services and improve the passenger journey.

The accreditation was granted under ACI World’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme, which promotes best practices in understanding passenger needs, measuring satisfaction and improving service quality.

The recognition reflects the airport’s efforts to strengthen customer experience across its facilities and improve the quality of services provided to travellers.

The initiative also supports the development of Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector and aims to enhance services for visitors to Madinah, including pilgrims and Umrah performers, in line with the objectives of the Aviation Programme and Saudi Vision 2030.

Source: SPA

Oman’s airports handled a total of 7,689,967 passengers, including arrivals, departures and transit travellers, during the first seven months of 2026, according to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The figure was 8.1% lower than the 8,366,273 passengers recorded during the same period in 2025.

International flights arriving at and departing from Muscat, Salalah and Sohar airports totalled 45,904 by the end of July, down 9.5% from 50,747 flights a year earlier.

Muscat International Airport

Muscat International Airport handled 49,315 international and domestic flights through July 2026, representing a 7.3% decline from 53,170 flights during the corresponding period of 2025.

Passenger traffic fell 8% to 6,855,942, compared with 7,453,204 passengers a year earlier.

International flight movements decreased 8.4% to 43,970 from 47,986, while international passenger traffic declined 9% to 6,164,584.

Domestic operations, however, recorded growth. Domestic flights increased 3.1% to 5,345 from 5,184, while domestic passenger traffic rose 2% to 691,358 from 677,837.

During July 2026, Omani nationals accounted for the largest share of incoming and outgoing passenger traffic at Muscat International Airport, with 204,591 travellers, including 95,111 arrivals and 109,480 departures.

Indian nationals ranked second with 169,751 passengers, comprising 99,958 arrivals and 69,793 departures. Bangladeshi nationals followed with 46,665 passengers, including 23,171 arrivals and 23,494 departures.

Salalah Airport

Salalah Airport recorded 5,569 international and domestic flights through July, down 5.3% from 5,881 flights during the same period last year.

Passenger traffic declined 8.4% to 797,620 from 870,616.

International flight movements dropped 30.8% to 1,864 from 2,693, while international passenger numbers fell 32.9% to 246,257 from 367,168.

Domestic operations moved in the opposite direction. Domestic flights increased 16.2% to 3,705, while domestic passenger traffic grew 9.5% to 551,363 from 503,448.

Sohar and Duqm Airports

Sohar Airport handled 122 international and domestic flights through July, down 6.2% from 130 flights in the same period of 2025.

Passenger traffic decreased 24.6% to 5,150 from 6,831. International flights rose 2.9% to 70 from 68, although international passenger traffic dropped 33.2% to 199.

Domestic flights declined 16.1% to 52, with domestic passenger traffic falling 24.2% to 4,951.

At Duqm Airport, domestic flight movements decreased 9.4% to 326 from 360. Passenger traffic also declined 12.3% to 31,255 from 35,622 during the corresponding period of 2025.

Source: QCAA