UAE – As the Fifa World Cup in Qatar draws closer, private jet companies are bracing themselves for an intensely busy season, as VVIPs, dignitaries and football fans rush to secure flights in and out of Doha, with the UAE serving as a main hub for flight operations in the region.

Ian Moore, chief commercial officer of global business aviation company VistaJet, told Khaleej Times that the company has seen a significant uptick in demand to Qatar during the period of the World Cup, particularly around the opening ceremony and later stages of the tournament – with over 70 flights from around the globe already booked. “There’s obviously some people that are waiting to see if their favourite team gets past the qualifying rounds… We strongly encourage our clientele to book with us as early as possible, even with a private jet, given the restrictions, and the amount of volume of flights that Doha is expecting, you need to be well organised and well-structured.”

While some long-haul flights are being booked directly from Asia and Europe, most of the interest the company is receiving is from within the GCC, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This is in line with the general sentiment that the Emirates will become a hub for global travelers who are planning to use Dubai and Abu Dhabi as a base, allowing them to travel into Doha for games and then back again on the same day.

“A big percentage will be coming through the UAE, whether it’s staying in the UAE or spending one night in…