Dubai: UAE airliners are advising residents flying out this weekend to head to the airport earlier than usual in view of the expected surge in passenger traffic ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
Dubai-based carriers flydubai and Emirates issued travel advisories this week, telling flyers what they need to do, to avoid missing their flights or getting bumped off, as they prepare to accommodate “very high loads” of travellers on Friday, May 31 alone.
Based on the data shared by Emirates, departure terminals at Dubai International Airport are most likely to accommodate more than half a million passengers during some of the busiest travel days of the year.
“Eid is always a busy travel period, so we recommend that passengers arrive at the airport at least three hours before the departure time of their flight and that they check their departure terminal before arriving at the airport,” a flydubai spokesperson told Gulf News.
“Flights over the Eid period are usually operating at very high loads.”
Public and private sector workers in UAE will be off from June 2 and June 3, respectively, until the end of the week, on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr.
With the longer than-usual paid holiday, a huge proportion of UAE residents are expected to travel abroad. Emirates, for instance, is expecting more than 80,000 people travelling on Friday. Passengers flying out are expected to swell to more than 309,000 on June 3.
“With expected traffic congestion around Terminal 3, and road works continuing to cause traffic delays around main airport highways and roads during this time, Emirates urges customers to build in extra time for their journeys to avoid potential delays,” Emirates said in a statement.
Emirates have warned passengers that if they fail to check in on time, they might need to cancel their travel plans.
Here are some tips to keep in mind, to avoid any delays or issues:
From Emirates:
Flyers have a number of options to make their departure easier and more convenient. They can show up at the airport a day before, or as early as 24 hours prior to, their travel and check in. They can also check in online from 48 hours to three hours prior to departure.
Those who prefer to head to the airport on the day of their departure, they should aim to reach the check-in counter not later than two hours before their plane is supposed to take off.
Should they show up at the airline desk less than an hour prior to their flight, passengers won’t be allowed to check in.
From flydubai:
Remember to check which terminal you are flying from or arriving at, before you head to the airport
Ensure that you reach the airport at least three hours before your flight.
Check your baggage allowance.
Find out how much baggage you are allowed to carry on.
Make sure you know what you can and can’t bring on board. For example, you can’t pack lithium batteries in your hand baggage.
