Emirates installs socially distanced bag-drop machines at Dubai airport

There are 16 self-service check-in machines and 8 self-service kiosks at Terminal 3

A grace period for those with expired visas will elapse at the end of the year. Courtesy: Emirates

To try to make travel as safe as possible for people, Emirates has installed self service check-in and bag drop stations at Dubai airport.

The airline has introduced 16 new bag-drop machines in Terminal 3. They allow travellers to check themselves and their luggage in for a flight without having to interact with Emirates staff.

There are also eight new self-service kiosks which can be used by those travelling without check-in luggage.

The kiosks allow customers to check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats on board, and drop off their bags in a socially-distanced manner. Courtesy Emirates

The self-service machines are available for all travellers flying with Emirates to most locations on the airline's network. The services are not currently for people flying to the US, Canada, China, India or Hong Kong, as additional security requirements are needed pre-boarding for these destinations.

The new technology allows travellers to check-in, receive their boarding passes, select seats and drop off their luggage in a way that is socially distanced. The self-service kiosks also look set to reduce waiting times for all travellers during peak periods.

Emirates staff will be on standby to help travellers if they need it and the facilities are cleaned and disinfected regularly between use.

Further upgrades are set for the bag-drop and check-in machines including touchless technology and the ability for travellers to rebook flights via the system.

Emirates says it plans to introduce more self-service facilities at Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport in the coming months.