Passengers with just hand-luggage can bypass check-in queues

Dubai, UAE. 17 June 2008: Dubai Airports announced today a new express service for travellers with hand luggage only.

"Express Check-in" enables passengers travelling light to check in at six new counters on the upper floor of the Departures area in Terminal One, and proceed straight to passport control.

Opened this week, the new service cuts the average time it takes from check-in to boarding gate considerably and is already proving to be popular with business travellers.

These new counters are the latest addition to a series of measures Dubai Airports has recently introduced to help travellers make their way through the terminal as quickly and easily as possible, particularly during the current summer season.

Omar Binadai, Senior General Manager of Facility Management at Dubai Airports, said: "We believe the Express Check-in service will save time for business travellers and anyone else with just hand luggage. The launch of this new service reflects our commitment to constantly improving the services we provide to our customers."

He added: "It's really just another way to help reduce check-in time. When you cater to more than 100,000 travellers a day, every minute we can save for our customers means a better and more efficient service."

This new facility is available for passengers travelling on Emirates Airline and most other airlines. Passengers can check with airport staff if the service is available for their specific airline.

Other measures have also been introduced at the airport to manage peak season rush over the next two months. These include: volunteer staff, additional signage, instruction videos, better screening machines, more check-in counters (including self check-in counters), more immigration counters, and e-gate registration facilities in both arrivals and departures.

Dubai Airports' new facility complements the "Travel Tips for Smart Travellers" that are part of a public awareness campaign launched at the beginning of June to ease the flow of passengers at Dubai International during the summer. These tips aim to help customers help themselves and their fellow travellers to proceed speedily through the airport.

Smart Tips for Smart Travellers

  • Say goodbye to loved ones at home to save time and avoid congestion at the airport. 

  • Use online check-in facilities or the self-service check-in kiosks in the departures hall to avoid queuing. Customers carrying only hand luggage can then proceed directly to Immigration. Customers with baggage to be checked in can make use of the quick-baggage drop counters. 

  • Buy an e-Gate card and avoid queuing at passport control both while arriving and on departure.

  • Ensure that each piece of baggage is within the 32kgs allowance to avoid delays. You should expect to be charged for baggage in excess of the regulatory limit.

  • Make sure you are carrying any liquids, aerosols and gels in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre. Unless absolutely necessary during the journey, it is simpler to pack them in your checked-in baggage.

  • Remember to put anything metal - watch, jewellery, mobile phone, coins - into your hand luggage well before you arrive at the X-ray machines, and save time at Security Screening.

  • Don't forget to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. 

-Ends-

ABbout Dubai Airport
Dubai Airports owns and operates Dubai International and the upcoming Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International.

About Dubai International
Connected to over 205 destinations across six continents through 120 airlines, Dubai International has grown at an unparalleled average of over 15 per cent annually since 2002. Dubai International accounts for over 27 per cent of all passenger and aircraft movement in the Middle East and Africa region. The airport will open its new Terminal and an associated facility during 2008 and another A380 specific facility in 2009, tripling its total capacity to 75 million PPA. Dubai expects 60 million passengers in 2010.

About Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International
While work on Dubai International's US$ 4.5 billion expansion nears completion work is already in progress on a project to build the world's largest airport barely 40 kilometres away. Upon completion Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International will have capacity to cater to 120 million passengers annually and handle 12 million tonnes of cargo at its 16 air cargo terminals.

For further information, please contact:
Zaigham Ali
Senior Officer
Press Relations & Communications
Marketing & CorporateCommunications
Dubai Airports
Telephone: +971 4 216 6916
TeleFax: +971 4 2244 113
Email: zaigham@dubaiairports.ae
Website: www.dubaiairport.com

© Press Release 2008