Huge crowds expected at UAE airports as winter flying season kicks off

Dubai: UAE residents are being warned to expect delays in and around airports today as one of the busiest travel seasons of the year kicks off.

Airlines have cautioned that some of the worst days for airport crowds at this time of year, when millions of travellers are expected to head home or abroad for the holidays, are Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week.

The combination of the festive season and schools taking a break for Christmas and New Year means that this weekend until the first few days of January next year aren’t the best times for travel.

Flyers can expect long queues at check-in and immigration counters, with Etihad Airways alone expecting to accommodate 1.25 million guests across its network from December 12 to January 5.

In Dubai, more than 420,000 travellers are passing through Emirates Terminal 3 in just three days, from Thursday through Saturday, and travellers would do well to leave for the airport earlier than usual, especially since there are ongoing roadworks and major infrastructure enhancements happening around the main airport highways and roads. The busiest day for the airline is expected to be on Friday, December 15.

“Customers [should] build in extra time to their journeys to avoid potential delays,” the airline advised.

To avoid delays, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure. Some airlines, including Emirates, allow flyers to physically check in as early as six hours prior to take-off
2. Arrive at the boarding gate on time. Airlines strictly follow the schedule for gate closure to minimise flight delays and don’t accept flyers who turn up late.
3. Check in online to avoid long queues at the airport.
4. Make sure your luggage does not exceed weight limits.
5. For those flying with Emirates, make use of the car park check-in facilities equipped with 16 check-in counters. Customers can use these to check in and drop off their luggage. Alternatively, passengers heading to Emirates Terminal 3 can drop their luggage at any of the 46 bag drop counters for economy class or separate counters for first class and business class from six hours to 90 minutes prior to departure. Families with small children can proceed to dedicated counters in Zone 2 at the check-in area. Gates close 20 minutes before take-off.
6. For those flying with Etihad at Abu Dhabi International Airport, guests who have checked in online but are unable to print their boarding passes are advised to proceed to the self-service kiosks in Terminals 1 and 3 to print the document before taking their luggage to the bag drop counter. There are also specially marked “Moonlight” counters in Terminal 3, which open between 4am and 6am and 4pm and 6pm, to allow travellers to check in four to eight hours before departure. Guests who use this limited-time service can get an additional five kilos of checked baggage.