Dubai: With the summer holiday rush now in full swing, air travellers flying out of Dubai International Airport this weekend are once again being advised to prepare well in advance and get to the airport three hours before departure time.
With the beginning of the summer travel season from last weekend, Dubai Airports said on Thursday that it has made all preparations necessary to ensure smooth travels this weekend for holidaying individuals and families going abroad.
In a statement, Dubai Airports said “close to 1.1 million passengers are predicted to visit Dubai International over the next four days. We’re ready at DXB, are you?”
Emirates airline said at the beginning of the rush that 220,000 passengers are expected to pass through Terminal 3 alone.
To alleviate the crush of travellers queuing at check-in counters, the airport rail system and boarding calls, Emirates said it is critical that travellers leave lots of time for their travel preparations before and at the airport before take-off.
To avoid travel disruptions, Emirates advised its customers to “arrive at the airport at least three hours before flight departure, and customers are encouraged to plan extra time to avoid potential delays. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as six hours before departing on their flight”.
Emirates said in a statement at the start of the summer rush that travellers are “requested to check in no later than 90 minutes prior to departure, regardless of class of travel. Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel”.
To speed up their check-in times and to streamline the process, Emirates reminded people that they can log in online the day before the flight to check in digitally.
“Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. In addition to these online check-in services, Emirates also offers check-in facilities near its car park area. Customers can use these to check in and drop off their luggage from 24 hours to six hours prior to departure.”
To avoid further disruptions in long check-in lines, passengers were urged to confirm with strict carry-on baggage weight limits of 7kg for Economy Class and 14kg for Business and First Class.
“Boarding starts 45 minutes before each flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If passengers report late, Emirates will not be able to accept them for travel. Check-in and gate closure timings will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule. These time checks are in place to minimise flight delays out of Dubai,” the airline said.
The air passenger increase follows a busy 2017 in which passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) jumped 5.5 per cent to reach 88.2 million passengers, driven by high volumes especially during January, July and August.
Emirates flights accounted for more than half of the traffic at Dubai International in 2017.
Travel tips for Emirates flights
To streamline the process, passengers can check in 24 hours before flight departure online and choose their seats
If checking in in person, arrive at Dubai International Airport three hours before departure time to give yourself lots of room to get to boarding gate
Adhere to carry-on luggage weight rules of 7kg for Economy and 14kg for Business and First Class
Get to boarding gate on time — boarding time closes 20 minutes before departure time
Source: Emirates airline
