dnata  has facilitated the transportation of over 150,000 football fans between Dubai and Doha in the opening two weeks of the world’s largest football tournament. As football fever grips the globe, dnata’s highly trained teams of ground handlers, passenger and ramp agents have ensured that fans make a smooth passage through Dubai World Central airport (DWC). With airlines introducing ‘shuttle flights’ operating between Qatar and nearby Gulf states, Dubai has become a popular transiting destination for fans attending tournament games.

dnata’s services between DWC and Doha have enabled more than 600 safe aircraft movements in the first fortnight of the competition. To execute this, over 270 customer oriented and ramp agents have been re-positioned from existing positions at Dubai International airport (DXB). A total of 90 pieces of ground support equipment (GSE) are used to service aircraft, including zero-emission electric baggage tractors, conveyor belts and a push-back tug.

For those fans wishing to take their experience to another level, a warm greeting will be received in DWC’s marhaba lounge. Supporters can keep up to date with the tournament with super-fast Wi-Fi and enjoy complimentary international cuisine before they make their trip. marhaba’s Meet and Greet services are also available for fans who wish to further improve their experience.

Jaffar Dawood, senior vice president for UAE Airport Operations, dnata, said: “We are dedicated to ensuring an excellent journey for all football supporters by providing a swift and efficient service at DWC, so that they can enjoy their fan experience for as long as possible. We thank our airline partners for their trust in our services, and will continue to support their initiatives.”

dnata offers ground handling, cargo, travel, catering and retail services in 37 countries across six continents. In the financial year 2021-22, dnata’s customer-oriented teams handled over 527,000 global aircraft turns, moved 3 million tonnes of cargo, uplifted 39.9 million meals, and recorded a total transaction value (TTV) of travel services of US$632 million.