Doha: Qatar Airways will temporarily cancel some routes in November and December to manage the Fifa World Cup traffic, said Akbar Al Baker, the airline’s CEO.
The airline chief said that capacity was already tight due to the grounding of its A350 fleet amid a dispute with Airbus.
“We have to withdraw from many destinations in order to relieve capacity,” said Al Baker.
Qatar Airways is asking airlines it has invested in to operate some flights for it during the event, said Al Baker.
The flag carrier is the biggest stakeholder in British Airways parent IAG.
Last month, Qatar Airways announced that Gulf carriers will operate day-time shuttle services to Doha during the World Cup.
Airlines are looking to increase their usage of alternative fuels, also called sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), to meet their long-term emission targets.
Producing these fuels has not been a priority for oil majors, who are currently reaping rich rewards from a surge in commodity prices.
“You can’t have a contract with (oil companies) if you don’t know how much they are going to charge you,” said Al Baker.
“There will be a big outcry if they don’t (produce) because there is such a big movement to find an alternative fuel and this is why we have that timeframe,” he added.
Last year, IATA approved a resolution for the global air transport industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
IATA Director-General Willie Walsh suggested that if refiners are not up to the task, other companies could take their place.
“This is a business opportunity for countries. You no longer need to have oil in the ground, to be able to produce,” said Walsh. “Oil majors will not be the only people producing (SAF) - we are seeing non-traditional manufacturers taking advantage of the opportunity.”
