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.

Discover Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, will expand its European network in summer 2027 with new nonstop routes connecting Germany to destinations in the UK and Ireland.

The carrier will begin operating flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Glasgow (GLA) six times a week from March 2027. Additional routes from Frankfurt will follow over the subsequent months, with weekly flights to Shannon (SNN) in the Republic of Ireland starting in April, twice-weekly services to Bristol (BRS) from May, and weekly flights to Inverness (INV) from June.

Discover Airlines will also introduce a twice-weekly route between Munich (MUC) and Glasgow from May 16, 2027. The service was previously operated by Lufthansa's mainline operation.

All five new services will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft and are expected to operate primarily during the summer season.

The expansion will mark Discover Airlines' first-ever operations to destinations in the British Isles.

The German leisure carrier has traditionally focused on destinations offering warmer climates in southern Europe and tropical regions. Its move into the UK and Ireland reflects a growing focus on leisure travel opportunities in areas such as the Scottish Highlands and the countryside of southwest England, with German tourists expected to form a key target market.

Discover Airlines was renamed in 2023 after previously operating as Eurowings Discovery, a separate brand from Lufthansa Group's low-cost subsidiary Eurowings.

The airline is currently pursuing a broader expansion programme and plans to grow its fleet to 40 aircraft by 2028. The planned fleet will consist of an equal split between widebody aircraft and Airbus A320 family aircraft.

Source: QCAA

Thai Airways International is set to relaunch nonstop daily flights between Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS) on July 1, 2026, marking the carrier's return to the Dutch market after nearly 28 years.

The service will utilize modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft as part of Thai Airways' Northern Summer 2026 schedule, with bookings now open following an announcement in early 2026.

This revival restores a historic long-haul link between Southeast Asia and Europe, last operated by Thai Airways in 1998 before the airline withdrew from the Netherlands.

The move aligns with Thai Airways' strategy to expand its European network amid post-restructuring growth, boosting tourism, business travel, and cultural ties between Thailand and the Netherlands while enhancing competition on the route.

By adding this daily connection, Thai Airways aims to strengthen overall Thailand-Europe connectivity, complementing partnerships like codeshares with carriers such as TAP Air Portugal for broader reach.

The resumption reflects confidence in demand from the Benelux region and supports the airline's long-haul ambitions.

flydubai has announced the launch of a new double-daily service to Bangkok, further strengthening its footprint in Thailand and increasing its total operations to the country to 28 weekly flights.

The new route will commence on 15 September 2026, operating from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). The addition of Bangkok marks the airline’s second destination in Thailand, complementing its existing service to Krabi.

With this expansion, flydubai continues to enhance its network in Southeast Asia, which also includes destinations such as Langkawi and Penang in Malaysia. The carrier’s growing regional presence reflects sustained passenger demand for travel between Dubai and key leisure and business markets across Asia.

Don Mueang International Airport, located north of central Bangkok, serves as one of the Thai capital’s two international gateways. Its strategic location provides convenient access for both corporate and leisure travellers visiting Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Commenting on the launch, Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said:

“Thailand continues to be a highly popular destination for both leisure and business travel. The introduction of our double-daily Bangkok service reflects strong and consistent demand across our network. Operating from Terminal 3 at Dubai International and under our codeshare partnership with Emirates, passengers will benefit from seamless connections via Dubai to destinations across the GCC, Europe and other international markets.”

The new service further reinforces Dubai’s position as a leading global aviation hub. flydubai’s network now extends to more than 135 destinations, offering customers expanded travel options and convenient one-stop connectivity.

Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at flydubai, added:

“We are pleased to expand our presence in Thailand with the launch of double-daily flights to Bangkok. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board and providing a comfortable and reliable travel experience in both Economy and Business Class.”

As part of its continued investment in customer experience, flydubai offers thoughtfully designed cabins across both classes. Passengers can enjoy comfortable seating, internationally inspired dining options and a wide selection of inflight entertainment available through the airline’s onboard system.

Flight Schedule (All Times Local)

From 15 September 2026, flydubai will operate the following services between Dubai and Bangkok:

• FZ1335: DXB 11:00 – DMK 20:45

• FZ1336: DMK 23:50 – DXB 03:20

• FZ1345: DXB 01:20 – DMK 11:10

• FZ1346: DMK 12:10 – DXB 15:40

Fares

• Return Business Class fares from DXB to DMK start from AED 9,000, while Economy Class Lite fares start from AED 2,500.

• From DMK to DXB, return Business Class fares start from THB 64,000, and Economy Class Lite fares from THB 22,000.

Flights are available for booking via flydubai.com, the official flydubai mobile application, the UAE Contact Centre, flydubai travel shops and authorised travel partners.

Xiamen Airlines will resume its direct flights between Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport in Fujian and Mactan–Cebu International Airport in the Philippines starting 29 March 2026. The twice-weekly service will operate every Tuesday and Saturday using Boeing 737-800 aircraft, featuring eight business-class and 162 economy seats. The flight takes just under three hours.

The move, announced on 14 February, follows recent bilateral talks that granted new traffic rights and improved ground-handling support ahead of the summer season. The reinstated route reconnects Quanzhou—a major manufacturing hub for shoes, garments, and stone products—with Cebu, the commercial heart of the Visayas region. It’s expected to make business travel and supply-chain visits much easier for companies that previously relied on indirect routes via Xiamen or Manila.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the restart, calling it a “new chapter” in people-to-people exchange. The Chinese Embassy in Manila also confirmed that Xiamen Airlines plans to increase flights on its Xiamen–Manila route to meet stronger demand. The announcement comes after the Philippines introduced a one-year visa-free entry scheme allowing Chinese citizens to stay up to 14 days for tourism or business.

For corporate travelers, the renewed direct link offers a more convenient route between Fujian’s export clusters and Cebu’s logistics, repair, and electronics sectors. It also supports greater accessibility to Mindanao, where several Chinese companies are currently involved in infrastructure projects. Filipino travelers should note that China has yet to introduce a reciprocal visa-free policy, so visas remain required except for short transits of up to 24 hours.

The service will also provide around five tonnes of cargo space per flight, which is expected to benefit e-commerce and high-value shipments like electronics and fashion samples. Freight forwarders are advised to secure space early, as the route typically maintains load factors above 80% during peak export periods.