It’s a groundbreaking time as 32 football national teams are gathering in Qatar to bring the world together for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The world is waiting for the first match start whistle to blow as it getting closer and closer.

Since their win in 2010 to host World Cup 2022, Qatar have been working hard to accommodate visitors and football fans coming from around the world, building seven stadiums, a new metro network, a new airport and more than 100 new hotels.

Officially known as the State of Qatar, the government is a semi-constitutional Monarchy that operates under Sharia Law. The current leader of the country is the eighth Emir of Qatar, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who became Emir of Qatar on June 25, 2013.

The national capital is Doha, or Al-Dawhah in Arabic. It boasts more than ⅖ of the country’s total population, 651,799 people to be exact. Which makes the total population of Qatar 2.988 million currently.

First Times:

There are a bunch of firsts happening this year for the Qatar World Cup 2022.

The slogan this year is, “Now is All.” Which is all about those moments when time stands still. It’s referencing the times when you feel like the biggest moment in all of history is currently happening. It’s the perfect slogan for the World Cup as people take every big moment to heart and memory forever.

It’s also the perfect slogan for the host country Qatar. This is their personal “Now is All” moment as it is the first time in history, they will be hosting the World Cup! This also marks the first time that a Middle Eastern country has had the honor to host the FIFA World Cup.

The second “first” for the World Cup is the time of year for the event. For the first time in history, the World Cup is being hosted in November instead of the usual summertime tournament.

Simple reasoning went into making the decision: Qatar’s summer temperatures are absolutely blistering. The winters are pleasant. So, the date was moved to make the temperature more comfortable.

The third “first” for this year’s FIFA World Cup is that this is the first year that Qatar has qualified to participate in the tournament. Soccer is such a dynamic sport that it also offers the hosting country a chance to actually win the World Cup. Maybe there could be another “first” added to this monumental year.

INFO FOR TRAVELERS:

COVID-19 Policies:

This is a bit detailed, but there are some various requirements allowed.

Immune-Vaccinated: this means you have gotten one of the approved vaccines.

• Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty)
• Moderna (SpikeVax)
• AstraZeneca (Covishield/Oxford/Vaczervia)
• Jansen/Johnson & Johnson (only one dose)

But there are also a few conditionally approved vaccines as well.

• Sinopharm
• Sinovac
• Sputnik V
• Covaxin

There is also the Immune-Recovered status. This works by having proof of a positive test within the past 12 months and proof of negative test AFTER the positive test.

The last group is Non-Immune/Unvaccinated status. These haven’t been sick and recovered within the past 12 months and/or they haven’t been vaccinated. In which case, you must have a negative PCR test that was obtained within the past 48 hours.

Money Exchange:

Another concern for travelers is typically the money. The money used in Qatar is the Qatari Riyal. It exchanges at a rate of 3.64 to $1 USD, 3.70 to 1 EUR, 4.40 to 1 GBP, and .04 to 1 INR.

Make sure you have your finances in line to be as prepared and respectful as possible.

Dress Code, Alcohol and Cultural Norms:

A general reminder is that Qatar is a semi-constitutional monarchy that adheres to Islamic Sharia Law. Maintaining respect and awareness for a different culture is absolutely imperative.

In order to be respectful, knowing the culture is important. There’s not a formal National dress code, but it is important to dress modestly and conservatively. It’s advised for men to not wear shorts and for women to not wear shorts, tank tops, and mini-skirts. especially while in government buildings. Typically, Qatari women wear the abaya, but this isn’t a national requirement. This dress code should be followed in all public spaces including while driving.

Alcohol and Drinking:

When it comes to alcohol and drugs, Qatar is pretty strict. Drugs have a zero tolerance and can result in imprisonment easily. There are negotiations currently going on to establish alcohol sales for the World Cup.

Currently, the drinking age is 21 and only licensed hotels and bars can serve travelers. It’s considered disrespectful and could easily land you in jail if you are caught drinking or drunk in public.

When it comes to taking pictures, you always need to be respectful. Don’t assume you can just take a picture anywhere with anyone around. You should always ask permission to be safe.

About 95% of the country speaks English; however, it’s always a good idea to be respectful and learn some important words and phrases in Arabic to help yourself out.

Hayya Card:

This is more like a mandatory requirement, Hayya card is a travel document to visit Qatar during the World Cup, it helps fans with easy access to stadiums and public transport. It can be valid from 1^st November (two weeks before the start) until after the tournament.

OPERATORS INFO

That was the lay of the land for passengers, but there are people that have to make sure the passengers get there. That’s where the operators come into play.

Not every operator has been going to Qatar for a long time. Luckily, Paradise Jet is here to help.

As with all international operations, there’s a lot of information you will need as the operator of a flight.

For starters, the governing body for Qatar aviation is the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority or QCAA.

There are 2 major airports that operate for Qatar: Hamad International Airport (OTHH/DOH) which is the primary operator and Doha International Airport (OTBD/DIA) which is the secondary airport and usually manages the general aviation activity and Private jets over passenger travel.

Make sure you have your airport slot all lined up. This will guarantee the safest and quickest service at the airports. It can be secured with Paradise Jet services. Slot services will begin Monday August 15, 2022.

The slot booking deposit is $5,000 USD per turnaround, this amount will be deducted from the final Airport charges amount or will be released to the operator in case of flight cancellation as per the current set of rules. For example, it will be released to the operator in case of flight cancellation up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled arrival time to Doha.

Keep in mind the cancellation and no-show fees which can be as low as $100 USD up to $30,000 USD depending on revision/cancellation time, seat number, and type of flight. There are also penalties for slot violation and misuse.

The maximum ground time allowed will be 60 minutes for narrow body aircrafts, and 90 minutes for wide body aircrafts.

There are also a lot of requirements by QCAA for landing permits. Paradise Jet offers the service to make sure you meet all the requirements.

The last reminder for operators is the necessary certificates that are to be carried onboard the aircraft and other details should be shared with QCAA to obtain the landing permit:

• Air Operator Certificate
• Aircraft Registration
• Airworthiness Certificate
• Certificate of Insurance
• Radio Operators License
• Noise Certificate
• Slot Confirmation
• Handling Confirmation Number (GHCN)
• Passengers API
• Crew API

The key to successful flight starts with preparation. Allow Paradise Jet to do the hard work, so you can focus on the flight itself. Follow the link to the Paradise Jet services to request assistance for your flight.