Heathrow to Doha *

An update on the FIFA World Cup.

In one year’s time, on 18 December, the 2022 FIFA World Cup final will take place in Qatar.

BTN’s Editor-in-Chief Malcolm Ginsberg has flown out to Doha to inspect the facilities and experience the amenities and accommodation at this time of the year.  He reports back that the weather is best described as “balmy” with the highest temperature around 26oC and no chance of rain. 

Qatar Airways is now flying up to five times daily from Heathrow, three times weekly from Manchester, and four times weekly out of Edinburgh.  The airline expects heavy continuous bookings over the next 12 months as visitors see for themselves the 2022 stadiums and one of the fastest growing economies anywhere in the world.

Ginsberg reports that the airline is well establish at the northern end of Heathrow T5, but prospective travellers must complete, and have approved, Qatar on-line filing.  All this does slow down the check-in, but the arrangements at the other end are very good and he sailed through immigration and customs very quickly.  For the time being all visitors and residents of Qatar must have a app called Ehteraz on their device, a local version of ‘test and trace’ without which entry into any building is banned.  For the PCR test there is one standard rate over the whole country approx £30.

A full report will follow early next year.

www.fifa.com

www.qatarairways.com

www.visitqatar.qa

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Malcolm Ginsberg, London

There is a standard cost at all testing stations (including hospitals) of just over £30 with a response in my case of 8 hours.

jill Oscar, Hammersmith

I write this after the emailed BTN has arrived on Monday 20 December. Malcolm Ginsberg has got it right in terms of a covid passport for domestic indoor visits. Perhaps for the next BTN he can tell us the charge for a PCR in Doha?