Doha has taken on a new artistic identity ahead of this year’s FORMULA 1® QATAR AIRWAYS QATAR GRAND PRIX, with ten towering Formula 1® helmet sculptures installed across the city as part of a large-scale public art initiative led by Lusail International Circuit (LIC).

Standing at 1.8 meters tall, the installations—on display through 30 November 2025—feature works by eight prominent Qatari artists, each weaving themes of heritage, identity, and innovation into the universally recognized symbol of motorsport.

Two official LIC-branded helmets greet travelers and media personnel at Hamad International Airport and the St. Regis Doha, while the other pieces appear at key cultural and commercial landmarks:

Old Doha Port – The Rise of Glory by Fatima Mohammed Shaker
Shaker blends Qatar’s map with symbols of national pride, capturing a sense of authenticity and forward momentum.

Doha Festival City – Connections by Hala Al-Darbasti
A vibrant acrylic work exploring the small yet powerful details that link individuals to one another. Al-Darbasti described the experience as “deeply meaningful,” noting her pride in contributing to Qatar’s motorsport scene.

Lusail International Circuit – The Camel by Laila Al-Qaedi
Traditional camel markings are reimagined as dynamic, racing-inspired motifs, drawing parallels between desert endurance and Formula 1® performance.

Msheireb Downtown – Heritage in Acceleration by Noor Abuissa
Islamic geometric patterns and Doha’s skyline appear in fluid motion, capturing the synergy between spiritual symmetry and racing speed.

Place Vendôme – Fusion of Speed and Heritage by Jaber Henzab
A bold composition that merges Qatari craftsmanship with the precision of F1®. Henzab called the project a “meaningful milestone” in his career.

Qatar Foundation – Velocity of Heritage by Kaltham Al-Fakhroo
Architectural motifs from Qatar’s historic buildings intertwine with the circuit’s high-energy character. Al-Fakhroo said the collaboration reaffirmed LIC’s “unique aura.”

Souq Waqif – The Land of Abundance and Oysters by Zainab AlShibani
A poetic tribute to pearl divers, connecting maritime tradition to the discipline and bravery found in racing.

VVIP Lounge, LIC – The Falcon: A Renewed Legacy by Noura Abdulrahman Al Ibrahim
A Saker falcon—symbol of strength—takes on a futuristic feel, revealing the technological complexity hidden inside an F1® machine.

Fatima Al Qaedi, LIC’s Marketing Manager, described the exhibition as a tribute to “Qatari imagination and artistic excellence.” She highlighted how each helmet transforms the essence of the nation—from pearl diving to falconry—into contemporary visual narratives. “We encourage residents and visitors to follow the helmet trail and see Formula 1® through a uniquely Qatari perspective,” she said.
Race Weekend Line-Up
Fans still have a chance to secure one of the remaining tickets for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, running 28–30 November:

Friday, 28 November: Opening ceremony, F1® practice, Sprint Qualifying, support races, and a performance by Seal.

Saturday, 29 November: High-energy F1® Sprint Race, FIA Formula 2™ and Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East action, capped by a concert from Cheb Khaled.

Sunday, 30 November: The main 57-lap Grand Prix, preceded by the Drivers’ Parade and final support races, closing with a headline show by Metallica.

Tickets are available at tickets.lcsc.qa

The Norwegian Group carried 2.9 million passengers in August 2026, including 2.5 million passengers on Norwegian and 359,000 on Widerøe.

Norwegian increased its capacity by 3% year on year, while passenger traffic climbed 4%. Its load factor improved by 0.4 percentage points to 86.3%. The airline operated an average of 94 aircraft during the month.

Regularity stood at 98.9%, rising to 99.6% when cancellations related to the Avinor air traffic controllers’ strike are excluded. The industrial action disrupted travel for more than 20,000 passengers. Norwegian’s punctuality rate, measured by departures within 15 minutes of schedule, was 80.8%.

Widerøe increased capacity by 2%, while traffic remained unchanged. Its load factor consequently declined by 1.8 percentage points to 75.8%. The regional airline recorded punctuality of 93.3%, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points, while regularity reached 97.4%.

Norwegian said booking activity for the autumn remained strong, particularly around the school holidays. Meanwhile, its Norwegian Reward loyalty programme has surpassed 10 million members and is introducing five new membership tiers.

Source: QCAA

African airlines recorded a 6.4% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in July 2026, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Capacity across African carriers increased by 9.0% compared with July 2025, while the passenger load factor stood at 74.1%. Domestic revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) in the region rose 0.6% during the month.

Globally, total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, increased just 0.2% from July 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew 1.2%, while available seat kilometres, the industry measure of capacity, increased 0.3%.

The global load factor was 85.2%. International demand declined 0.1% year on year. When the Middle East was excluded, international demand increased 1.5%, with capacity also rising 0.3% and the load factor reaching 85.2%.

Domestic passenger demand worldwide grew 0.6% compared with July 2025, while domestic capacity increased 0.2%. The domestic load factor stood at 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had produced a largely positive result despite weaker performance by carriers in North America and the Middle East.

She also noted that traffic through Gulf aviation hubs was continuing to recover.

Thomsen said airlines remained confident about demand for the final months of the year despite elevated fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Carriers are planning to increase seat capacity by almost 3% in September, she added.

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Global air passenger demand recorded modest growth in July 2026, as strong performances in several regions helped offset declines among carriers in North America and the Middle East, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) increased by 0.2% compared with July 2025. Excluding Middle Eastern airlines, global passenger demand rose by 1.2%.

Worldwide capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), grew by 0.3% year-on-year, while the global passenger load factor slipped by 0.1 percentage points to 85.2%.

International traffic declined by 0.1% compared with the same month last year. However, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, international demand increased by 1.5%.

Domestic passenger demand rose by 0.6%, supported by a 0.2% increase in capacity. The domestic load factor reached 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had delivered an overall positive picture for aviation despite challenges in key markets.

“Overall growth of 0.2% in July was achieved despite year-on-year collective declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East,” she said, adding that traffic through Gulf hubs continued to recover.

Thomsen noted that high fuel prices, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions remain challenges for the industry. However, airlines remain confident about demand later in the year, with seat capacity expected to expand by almost 3% in September.

European airlines posted demand growth of 3.1%, supported in particular by a 12.1% surge in traffic between Europe and Asia.

Latin American carriers recorded a 7.1% increase in demand, while African airlines reported growth of 6.4%.

Elsewhere, Asia-Pacific demand declined by 0.7%, and North American carriers saw a 2.3% fall. Middle Eastern airlines reported the sharpest decline, with demand down 9.5%, although the pace of the downturn continued to ease.

Domestic traffic rose 0.6% worldwide, with China and Brazil reporting strong growth. In contrast, domestic markets in the United States, Australia and India recorded declines.

Source: ZAWYA

Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain to Shanghai on Monday, August 10, 2026, flooding roads and commercial areas and severely disrupting air travel in the city.

The weather system forced Shanghai’s two airports to cancel a combined 943 flights, while their overall passenger capacity was reduced by nearly 40%.

The disruption followed Dolphin’s landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening. The typhoon struck areas south and west of Shanghai with maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour near its centre.

Dolphin later weakened into a tropical storm, but its remaining rain bands continued to bring heavy precipitation across large parts of eastern China.

Shanghai, the country’s second-most populous city, experienced widespread flooding, including in several major commercial districts.

China Eastern Airlines said it was working to gradually restore flights to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other affected destinations as weather conditions improve.

Source: Asia News Network

Thousands of WestJet cabin crew members began strike action on Aug. 2 after nearly 11 months of contract negotiations failed to result in a new labor agreement, triggering widespread disruptions across the airline's network.

The industrial action involves around 4,400 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125. The strike officially started after talks between the union and the airline ended without a new collective agreement.

The labor dispute has already forced WestJet to cancel more than 300 flights, affecting travel plans across its domestic and international routes.

Ahead of the strike, the airline had begun grounding portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as a precautionary measure to minimize operational disruption and reduce the risk of leaving passengers and aircraft stranded during the work stoppage.

Source: Aero Time