Navigational data analysis showed the activity of about 40,000 flights linked to Qatari airports from the beginning of last November until December 20, as part of the preparations and movements of fans and delegations attending the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
And the Sanad Agency for monitoring and news verification in Al-Jazeera Network conducted an analysis of the data that it monitored from the beginning of November until two days after the Qatar World Cup final, in cooperation with the “Radar Box” website specialized in aviation, in order to find out the trends of fans and countries, and how Qatar has become a global destination in the event. The exceptional sports hosted by an Arab country.
The data shows an increase in air traffic during the World Cup period by 30% during some days of the average flights in 2019 before the Corona virus and a decrease in air traffic. 250 airlines and 3,700 aircraft.
Map of the countries of the world that were associated with trips with Qatar during the World Cup period
The average daily flights in early November reached about 300 flights to Doha, and the rate increased after the ninth day of the same month, reaching records throughout the World Cup period until it reached its peak on December 19 after the World Cup final match between Argentina and France, and exceeded the total number of flights that took off from Qatar landed 1000 flights on this day only.
The analysis found that large numbers of fans were present throughout the World Cup matches, based on data that showed an increase in take-offs from Doha compared to those arriving on December 19.
Comparison of daily flights landing and departing from Qatar showing some of the important events during the World Cup
Trips increased significantly and set records in conjunction with the Saudi Arabia and Tunisia matches on November 22, 26 and 30. It also achieved an additional increase on December 13 in conjunction with the semi-final matches and reached its climax on December 18 and 19 in the final and the day after it, as shown in the pictures above.
Cities and countries that topped the trips to Qatar
The United Arab Emirates topped the list of countries from which trips to Qatar departed, with a total of more than 2,500 trips from November 18 to December 19. It also reached a peak in the World Cup final and the day after it, with a number ranging between 159-166 trips.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comes in second place with more than 1,200 flights during the same period, and there was an increase in the rates of flights starting on November 20 and reaching its peak in 22 with 80 flights at the times of the Saudi-Argentina match, and witnessed a greater increase on the 26th of the same month with 64 flights And an additional increase of 77 flights during Saudi Arabia’s matches against Poland and Mexico by the end of the month.
The rise in flight rates from Saudi Arabia to Qatar coincided with the arrival of large numbers of people who chose land travel to enter Doha through the Salwa port, which witnessed a major expansion last August to accommodate the influx of fans.
The daily rate of flights that took off from Saudi Arabia to Qatar
The heavy public attendance was not limited to the Saudi matches only, as navigational data showed an increase in the number of flights during Tunisia's matches against Australia, France and Denmark in late November.
India was ranked third, with more than 1,100 flights with an average daily rate that did not constitute a significant difference from the periods before the World Cup, which indicates that these flights were more related to the movement of Indian labor in Qatar than to the World Cup.
India is followed by other countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Pakistan, Oman, Germany, Spain, and Iraq.
The countries that recorded the most flights between them and Qatar
Some cities topped the list of flights to Qatar, including Istanbul, Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, and Muscat.
Airlines and private tours
"Sanad" analysis of navigational data revealed that Qatar Airways topped the list of corporate flights by 61%, followed by "Fly Dubai" by 6%, and Indian Airlines by about 3.5% in the period between November 18 and December 20.
Percentages of flights made by all airlines
Regarding the type of aircraft, the Airbus A320, which is capable of carrying about 144 passengers, topped the largest number of flights to and from Qatar during that period, with a total of more than 3,800 flights, as Qatar Airways owns 29 aircraft of the same type.
The Boeing 777-300ER comes in second place, with a total of more than 3,400 flights. The number of seats of the same model of Qatar Airways ranges between 345 and 412, of which Qatar Airways owns 52 aircraft, the largest number owned by the company of the same type.
The data showed a list of flights for private planes that arrived in Qatar, with a total number of 2,700 flights, and are affiliated with companies specialized in leasing planes, and part of them belong to governments and individuals.
VistaJet Malta, which specializes in renting private jets, accounted for nearly 20% of the total flights, with flight hours ranging between $1,300 and $8,000 according to type, according to the company’s website, followed by Qatar Executive (Qatar Executive) with 13.4%.
The analysis monitored a number of planes that came from Algeria, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Libya and Turkey, as well as the plane of American businessman Elon Musk (N628TS) and American billionaire Bill Gates (N887WM).
Arab influx and Iranian interest
The number of flights shows Iran's interest in the World Cup, in conjunction with the agreement signed by the Qatari side with its counterpart in Tehran regarding hosting World Cup fans and facilitating visas during the months of November and December.
According to the number of flights, the interest was largely focused on Iran's match against Wales on November 25, and then the last match against America at the end of the group stage.
Journeys between Qatar and Iran and the most prominent events
The largest percentage of fans left on November 30 after watching the match and the Iranian national team left, which resulted in a significant increase in the number of flights from Qatar to Iran, reaching 18 flights on that day, as the number before and after this day ranged from 4 to 10. Just.
On the Arab level, the data showed that the masses coming from Kuwait - which are used extensively in the transit systems for Arab travelers - came in large proportions on the opening day, November 20.
The Arab masses left at a greater rate on November 24 and 26 after the matches (Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia) in the first and second round of the groups, and it also increased on December 10 after the Morocco match against Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The number of trips shows the interest of the masses coming from Oman in the group stage, as the intensity of the trips between November 21 and December 2 was significant, with a decrease before and after this stage.
The data also showed a gradual increase in the interest of Moroccan fans, until the semi-final match, in which the number of flights to Qatar reached 22 flights on December 13, in an air bridge to transport the Lions fans to the match, and most of the fans returned on the 15th of the same month after the defeat against France.
Trips between Qatar and Morocco during November and December with highlights
The failure of the European boycott
The flight data refuted the European campaigns that claimed the fans boycott the World Cup in Qatar, if the number of flights from different European countries showed that the fans would remain until the end of the competitions in December.
The trips show that the attendance of fans from the United Kingdom reached its maximum numbers on the opening day of November 20 and December 16, before the final matches and the determination of the third and fourth places.
While the return flights achieved record numbers of 22 flights on November 30, following the (England-Wales) match, and on December 9 (during the quarter-final matches), but the peak of the return of fans to London was on December 19 with 36 flights, which is an unprecedented number of flights.
The interest of Croatian fans in their team's matches in the semi-finals and third place increased from the rest of the matches, and the flights coming from Norway and Malaysia increased in the semi-final matches, in addition to the increase in flights from Hungary to four flights on December 13 from the average daily flight.
The data also shows an increase in fan interest in the final and semi-final matches in more than ten countries, as flights coming before the final match increased from Hong Kong, Ireland and Jordan (one of the destinations of the transit system), and the increase in Russian fans began on December 8 before the quarter-final matches. It reached its climax on the 17th before the final match.
In Italy and Switzerland, the increase in incoming flights was in conjunction with the semi-final and final matches, while the noticeable increase was in return flights from Qatar on December 19 following the end of the World Cup.
France's fans also paid attention to the final match, but a record number of trips returned to France (22 trips) on the 19th, which indicates the intensity of the French presence throughout the World Cup, despite calls for a boycott as well.
While the peak of flights coming from Germany reached on December 16 with 14 flights, at a time when the exit flights from Qatar to Germany were on December 16 and 20, meaning that a number of German fans also stayed in Qatar until the end of the World Cup despite the early exit of their country.
The data also shows that flights coming from Spain (one of the most important destinations of the transit system for South American fans) reached their peak on November 19, one day before the opening, while the most prominent number of return flights from Qatar was on December 19 after the end of the World Cup, with 16 flights. .
The situation did not change in Turkey, which was used extensively in transit systems to Qatar, where data shows that the departure of fans via Istanbul was the most intense on December 19 after the end of the World Cup.
On the other hand, the data showed that the number of flights coming from Israel is a very low number, reaching 7 flights in November and 9 flights until December 20, with a total of 16 flights, while the return flights of the number of fans were prominent on December 15 and 19 of the same month after the final match.
Record numbers
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy confirmed that the number of public attendance for the 2022 World Cup matches in Qatar is close to 3.4 million fans, with an average attendance of more than 53,000 people per match, with a total capacity of 96%.
Qatar received more than 1,400,000 visitors from around the world during the World Cup, and the Qatar Tourism Authority stated that Doha received more than 600,000 international visitors in the first two weeks of the World Cup in early November, and Saudi Arabia topped with 24%, followed by India with 16%. And the United States of America 13%, and Argentina, Egypt, Iran, France and Kuwait were among the top 10 countries from which visitors came.