The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) on 31 August 2022 signed the operational agreement with each of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, for activating the Doha Flight Information Region (FIR) and connecting it with FIRS of these countries.

The State of Qatar last April signed a similar agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran and signing these agreements means all the stakeholders for the activation of the Doha FIR's operational processes, which will begin this September 8, are now complete.

This comes in the context of executing the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council's historic decision, made during the Council's 10th meeting in its 225th Session held last March, on to establish a Doha FIR, after more than five years of deliberations.

Since that decision was made, Qatar has over the past period been in communication with stakeholders in all countries and held several meetings with neighboring countries for coordination purposes to enhance cooperation and end up with activating a Doha FIR by signing bilateral agreements to regulate operational processes and connect the Doha FIR with its counterparts in these countries.

Minister of Transport H.E. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti praised the efforts made by all parties toward signing these agreements, asserting that Qatar is ready for the Doha FIR activation, in addition to adding new air routes and increasing the capacity of both the aircraft holding area and search and rescue area in line with the Doha FIR's new dimensions, thus keeping pace with the development and achievements that Qatar's civil aviation undergoes.

He added that Qatar's civil aviation industry has significantly progressed in terms of modernizing its air navigation systems in step with latest universal specifications, thus fulfilling the country's air traffic requirements and showcasing an outstanding level of services.

Minister Al-Sulaiti asserted that Qatar and brotherly and friendly neighbouring countries have the best world aviation systems.

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Source and cover image credit: Ministry of Transport

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Vrinda Abilash

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