Emirates launches contact-free self check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International Airport

The move is designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19

Emirates has made its self check-in touchless. Courtesy Emirates

In a bid to cut down on person-to-person contact, Emirates is introducing touchless check-in kiosks and bag drop counters for passengers in Dubai.

The move is designed to help make airport processes smoother, while also helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The airline's self check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International Airport first debuted in September 2020.

The 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks can now be controlled by passengers' mobile phones, meaning they don't have to touch the screens.

The kiosks, which are located at the Economy check-in area in Terminal 3, allow travellers to check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats and drop off their bags.

New services have also been added, including allowing passengers to make payments for any purchases, such as excess baggage allowance, directly from the kiosk.

These devices are accessible to travellers heading to all destinations except the US, Canada, China, India and Hong Kong, because of additional check-in requirements for these destinations.

More kiosks will be erected at the First and Business Class check-in area soon, the airline has said.

Biometric 'path'

In October, Emirates launched biometric checks at DXB in a bid to create a contact-free travel journey.

The touchpoints allow travellers to check-in without having to come face-to-face with airline staff.

The high-tech pathway, which uses a mix of facial and iris recognition, can also be used for immigration, entering the Emirates Lounge and boarding checks.

"Now, it is more vital than before to make use of technology and ... introduce processes that focus not only on fast-tracking customers, but more importantly, on health and safety during their travel journey," said Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer, at the time.