DOHA has taken a lead over Dubai in a battle to become the pre-eminent travel hub in the middle east, travel analytics firm ForwardKeys has found in latest research. Crunching the world’s freshest and most comprehensive flight-booking data, ForwardKeys has said that the Qatar city has gone ahead of its United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart in the first half of 2021.
It has revealed that in the period between January 1 and June 30, the volume of air tickets issued for travel via Doha was 18 per cent higher than it was through Dubai and it seems the trend will continue. Current bookings for the second half of the year through Doha is 17 per cent higher than that through Dubai.
ForwardKeys also said that air traffic through Doha was at 77 per cent of that of Dubai at the beginning of the year but then it dashed to reach 100 per cent for the first time during the week that started on January 27.
One of the reasons for Doha’s surge has been the lifting of the blockade of flights to and from Qatar, which drew the ire of other middle eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE who accused Doha of sponsoring terrorism. The blockade was imposed in June 2017 though Qatar denied the charges.
An Emirates Airlines plane at Dubai International Airport on February 1, 2021. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)
The blockade had an immediate consequence for Doha’s aviation industry. For instance, Qatar Airways was forced to put 18 destinations out of its network list. Besides, various flights that flew via Doha saw extended journey times as planes had to bypass the air space of the countries that blockaded Qatar. However, Qatar Airways did not cut back as a response to the blockade. Instead, it opened 24 new routes to utilise its planes.
Olivier Ponti, vice president Insights, ForwardKeys, said, “Without the blockade, which encouraged the establishment of new routes as a strategy to replace lost traffic, perhaps we would not have seen Doha charging past Dubai. So, it seems that the seeds of Doha’s relative success were, ironically, sown by the adverse actions of its neighbours. However, one needs to bear in mind that flights through the middle east during H1 2021 were still 81% below pre-pandemic levels. So, as the recovery gathers pace, the picture could change significantly.”
Since January this year, five routes (to and from Doha) – Cairo, Damman, Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh have been reopened and they have seen a growth in traffic. The routes which have made the most substantial relative contribution to visitor arrivals are: Damman to Doha and Dubai to Doha. Besides, new connections with destinations like Seattle and San Francisco in the US and Abidjan in Ivory Coast were set up in December 2020, January 2021 and June 2021, respectively.
The major existing routes which have seen the strongest growth compared to the pre-pandemic levels by total number of passengers arriving in Qatar are: Sao Paulo (up 137 per cent), Kiev (up 53 per cent), Dhaka (up 29 per cent) and Stockholm (up 6.7 per cent). Seat capacity between Doha and cities like South Africa, Male and Lahore has also seen an increase by 25 per cent, 21 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, said ForwardKeys, a firm has pioneered the way forward for tourism organisations, hotels and retailers keen to understand who is travelling where, when and for how long.
Analysis has also shown that in the coming quarter (Q3 2021), seat capacity between Doha and its middle eastern neighbours will be only 5.6 per cent less than the pre-pandemic levels and the majority of it (51.7 per cent)is allocated to reinstated routes to/from Egypt, Saudi and the UAE.
Reaction to pandemic is another factor
Another major factor which has helped Doha take the lead over Dubai is the reaction to the pandemic. At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many routes in and out of Doha remained operational and that made it a major hub for repatriation flights, particularly to Johannesburg and Montreal.
A study of the market share in the first half of 2021 against that of 2019 shows that the Qatar city has substantially improved its position vis-à-vis the Emirates cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. While the hub traffic was divided as Dubai (44 per cent), Doha (21 per cent) and Abu Dhabi (13 per cent), it is currently Doha (33 per cent), Dubai (30 per cent) and Abu Dhabi (9 per cent).
RELIANCE Industries plans to take its telecom and digital arm, Jio Platforms, public by mid-2026, chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Friday. The announcement sets a new timeline for the long-awaited IPO of a business analysts value at over $100 billion.
At its annual general meeting (AGM), Reliance also announced the launch of an artificial intelligence unit in partnership with Google and Meta.
Ambani had first indicated plans in 2019 to list Jio within five years. On Friday, he told shareholders the company is preparing to file for an IPO next year.
Reuters reported in July that Jio decided against launching an IPO in 2025. Analysts at the time valued the company at over $100 billion.
Jio Platforms includes India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm, with more than 500 million users. Backed by investors such as Meta, Google and KKR, the business is central to Ambani’s move to diversify Reliance beyond oil and chemicals into retail, consumer and technology. AI and international expansion are now key areas of growth.
Reliance is also investing $8.8 billion in its chemicals business. It expects retail to grow sales by nearly 10 per cent a year on a like-for-like basis and plans to add 2,000–3,000 new stores annually.
“Jio is not being fully valued within Reliance's broader petrochemicals and retail portfolio, and a separate listing would help unlock higher value for the telecom and digital unit,” said Saurabh Parikh, senior analyst at ICRA Ltd.
AI Unit with Meta and Google
Reliance and Meta announced a new AI joint venture with an initial investment of around $100 million. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the AGM the venture will provide Meta’s open-source AI models to Indian businesses.
Google will partner with Reliance to deploy AI across energy, retail, telecom and financial services. It will also set up a Jamnagar Cloud region dedicated to Reliance, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at the meeting.
The partnerships come as India-US relations face tensions following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Reliance runs the world’s largest refining complex in Gujarat and is India’s biggest buyer of Russian oil.
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Asda sales fell 0.2 per cent in the three months to June 30, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)
THE chairman of Asda has admitted the supermarket chain still faces challenges after sales slipped again over the summer, but said the completion of a major IT overhaul was crucial for its recovery.
Allan Leighton told the Times that the long-delayed technology project, called Project Future, had finally been finished after years of setbacks and costs exceeding £1 billion. The work involved separating more than 2,500 systems inherited from former owner Walmart, following Asda’s 2021 takeover by TDR Capital.
Describing the programme, he said it might be “the biggest IT systems change, certainly in Europe, maybe ever”. He added: “The cost is material, but largely that is now behind us.”
The supermarket acknowledged that the switchover had caused “temporary disruption with product availability” both online and in stores, which would weigh on sales through to September.
Leighton explained: “We’ve been doing 50 stores a week, every week, for 10 weeks. The collective scale of that does cause some friction… so that’s where the impact has been.”
Leighton, who rejoined Asda last November after previously leading the business in the 1990s, has focused on price cuts and improving stock levels. He said he did not expect “any miracles” but stressed that completing the IT work and reducing distractions was “very critical” for the turnaround.
Asda has been pouring money into a Rollbackprogramme of price reductions to compete with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the fast-growing discount chains Aldi and Lidl. The grocer said its average reduction under the scheme was about 22 per cent.
He also voiced concern about government policy, warning that chancellor Rachel Reeves’s approach could push up prices. “There’s no doubt all of this is hitting the pocket of the consumer. And when that happens, that’s not particularly good for anybody. I think there’s more gloom than we’ve seen for a long time,” he was quoted as saying. He added that Reeves risked driving up food bills by “taxing everything in some way shape or form.”
Sales at Asda fell 0.2 per cent in the three months to June 30, excluding fuel, while turnover edged down to £5.3bn. Earlier in the year, sales had fallen nearly 6 per cent.
Data from research firm Kantar showed the supermarket’s market share dropped further over the summer, with sales down 2.6 per cent. Aldi is now close to overtaking Asda as the UK’s third-largest grocer.
Leighton pointed to other parts of the business as bright spots. George, Asda’s clothing and homeware arm, posted 2.5 per cent like-for-like growth, while its convenience format Asda Express rose 8.6 per cent, outpacing the wider market. “We’re more than just a supermarket,” he said, highlighting its clothing stores, cafés and opticians.
Retail analyst Clive Black of Shore Capital said, “Asda’s Q2 performance is not yet at a stage of putting up the bunting, but we are pleased to see for all those in Leeds the signs of improvement, which we anticipate will now follow through into forthcoming quarters.”
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A logo is pictured outside a Jaguar Land Rover new car show room in Tonbridge, south east England. (Photo: Getty Images)
UK VEHICLE exports to the United States rose in July after a new trade deal between London and Washington reduced tariffs, industry data showed on Thursday.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), exports increased 6.8 per cent in July to nearly 10,000 units, following three consecutive months of decline.
The SMMT had earlier reported that exports to the US dropped 55.4 per cent in May compared with the same month last year, with smaller falls recorded in April and June.
"The US remains the largest single national market for British built cars, underscoring the importance of the UK-US trade deal, and July's performance illustrates the impact of this deal," the SMMT said.
The agreement, finalised in May and effective from June 30, cut tariffs on UK car exports to 10 per cent on up to 100,000 vehicles a year.
In April, US President Donald Trump had imposed a 27.5 per cent tariff, reducing demand and forcing manufacturers, including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Aston Martin, to scale back or suspend shipments.
Almost 80 per cent of cars made in the UK last year were exported, mainly to the European Union.
The UK auto industry is largely made up of foreign-owned brands such as Japan’s Nissan and India-owned JLR.
The US is also a major market for UK-produced luxury models from Bentley and Rolls-Royce, both owned by German groups.
THE family of Christian Michel, the British businessman accused of acting as a middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, has appealed to the UK government to push for his release from Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Michel’s relatives met Foreign Office minister Catherine West in London on Tuesday (26). The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the minister listened to their concerns and updated them on ongoing steps being taken.
The case was also raised by prime minister Keir Starmer with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to London for the signing of the India-UK free trade agreement.
“The UK government is committed to seeing Christian Michel’s case resolved as soon as possible,” an FCDO spokesperson said. “We continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Michel and his family and have consistently raised his case with the Indian government.”
British officials at the High Commission in Delhi regularly meet Michel in detention, most recently on August 14.
Michel’s son, Alois, said: “An Indian court has recently rejected my father’s appeal for release from prison, even though he has already served the maximum sentence of seven years for the charge on which he was extradited. I have requested the UK government to approach the International Court of Justice because India is not respecting its obligation to the rule of law.”
Indian courts have ruled that Michel still faces charges, including forgery, which could carry a life sentence. He was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 and arrested by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED claims Michel received £25.8 million in kickbacks from AgustaWestland, allegations he denies. According to investigators, the helicopter deal signed in February 2010 caused losses of around £341m to the Indian exchequer.
In February this year, the Supreme Court of India granted Michel bail in a CBI case, followed by a Delhi High Court order granting bail in the ED case. However, he has yet to furnish bail bonds. His family fears that accepting bail terms may lead to further charges.
ASIAN entrepreneurs Mohsin and Zuber Issa are moving the headquarters of their global forecourt company, EG Group, from Blackburn to the US in preparation for a major stock market listing in New York.
The firm confirmed that its main office will relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, while a new base in Bolton, Greater Manchester, will handle its remaining UK operations, the Telegraph reported. The change brings an end to almost 25 years of the company being run from Blackburn.
According to the BBC, Blackburn will retain about 300 jobs, less than half of the current 700 staff.
The move is seen as a milestone for the Issa brothers, who rose from running a small family shop to building one of the world’s largest petrol station businesses.
Despite the shift overseas, the family has continued to invest in Blackburn, with projects including a mosque, luxury homes near their childhood area of Brookhouse, and plans for one of the country’s biggest cemeteries.
Quesir Mahmood, Lancashire County council’s cabinet member for economic development, said, “While this represents a change for the company, our understanding is Blackburn will remain a key base for EG Group, with around 300 staff continuing to work from the borough. This is a significant and ongoing commitment to our borough and one we greatly value.”
However, Conservative councillor Paul Marrow warned the decision could leave the modern building underused. He said, “This is a massive blow to Blackburn. EG Group has been a flagship business headquartered here for many years, and it is particularly sad to see such a reduction in its presence.”
EG Group is preparing for a $13 billion (£9.7bn) flotation on the New York Stock Exchange. The US has become its most important market, generating most of its income.
The company no longer runs any petrol stations in Britain. Last year, Zuber separated its remaining forecourts into a new venture, EG On The Move, which continues to operate from Blackburn.
At present, the brothers each own 25 per cent of EG Group, while private equity firm TDR Capital controls the remaining half. TDR is also the main backer of supermarket chain Asda, which the Issas bought into with the firm in 2021.
EG said its Bolton office would help the company “maintain roots in the north-west” while reflecting its smaller UK and European presence. It did not confirm if the shift would affect jobs.
Earlier this year, Mohsin stepped down as chief executive, handing over the role to former finance chief Russell Colaco. Both brothers are understood to still live locally and remain connected to the community.
Reports have suggested that Zuber had preferred selling the US arm, valued at around $5bn (£3.7bn), instead of pursuing a public listing.
The company, founded as Euro Garages, grew rapidly after acquiring fuel sites from brands such as Esso. A merger with the European Forecourt Retail Group in 2016, backed by TDR, helped it become a global player and later expand aggressively in the US.
That growth relied heavily on cheap borrowing during the years of low interest rates. Rising costs after the pandemic forced EG to cut back and sell assets to reduce debt.