Travelling has never been easier, especially when flying from the UAE with one of the country's four major airlines. With millions of passengers travelling over the Eid Al Fitr holidays, it's worth taking advantage of the perks some airlines offer before you fly.
At Dubai International, for example, traveller numbers over the Eid break are set to surge by up to 19 per cent compared to average weekly volumes over the past month. More than 3.6 million passengers are expected to pass through the airport between Wednesday and April 7, authorities said.
Last week, Emirates announced 17 additional flights to destinations in the Middle East to meet surging demand. More than 371,000 passengers are expected to fly with the Dubai airline between March 26 and April 6.
Here are all the check-in facilities and home luggage drop-off services in the UAE you can use before heading to the airport.
Emirates
The airline has a City Check-in service at ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai. Emirates also has luggage drop facilities in Ajman, as well as at Port Rashid Terminal 3 and Dubai Harbour for travellers disembarking cruise ships.
At ICD Brookfield Place, travellers can hand over their luggage between four and 24 hours before their flight (except for those travelling to the US), helping to take the hassle out of the airport experience. Check-in is open from 8am to 10pm daily, via self-check-in kiosks, at dedicated desks with Emirates agents, or with the help of the world’s first check‑in robot assistant, Sara.
Passengers can use the City Check-in at Ajman Central Bus Terminal up to four hours before departure and collect their boarding passes. Bus tickets from Ajman to Emirates Terminal 3 in Dubai costs Dh20, with regular departures from 4am to 11.30pm.
At Port Rashid Terminal 3 and Dubai Harbour, passengers can simply step off a ship and check in for their Emirates flight at the dedicated kiosk, giving them more time to explore the city.
Emirates also offers a Home Check-in service that allows passengers to complete the process from their home, hotel or office and breeze through the airport later. Passengers should use the service at least six hours before departure, with packages starting from Dh177 for up to two bags. It is complimentary for first-class customers.
Emirates also offers a drop-off service in which an agent will collect your baggage, clear it through customs and deliver it to wherever you are in Dubai. This service starts at Dh93 per bag.
More information is available at emirates.com
Etihad
Etihad offers two City Check-in options – at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Passengers can visit the Morafiq service desk at both locations to drop their baggage and choose extras such as seat selection, fast-track their immigration checks or upgrade their booking 24 to four hours before flight departure time.
Check-in rates are Dh35 for adults, Dh25 for children aged 12 years and below, and Dh15 for infants aged two years and below.
Etihad's City Check-in locations can be found at etihad.com
Yas Island Airport Check-In Counter
Abu Dhabi residents flying with Etihad, Air Arabia, Wizz Air and Egypt Air can also skip airport check-in queues and save time by dropping off their baggage 24 to four hours before departure in Yas Mall.
At the counter near The Fountains, passengers will be given their boarding pass after completing the procedures, and can head straight to immigration when they arrive at the airport. The service costs Dh35 for passengers above 12 years of age, Dh25 for under-12s, and Dh15 for infants. The counter is open daily from 10am to 10pm.
Air Arabia
The budget airline's City Check-in service allows passengers to drop off luggage and collect their boarding passes eight to 24 hours before departure. Passengers can also select their seats, so they can head directly to the designated gate at the airport.
Air Arabia passengers can use the City Check-in service at the following locations:
– Sharjah: Opposite Al Madina Shopping Centre, Muweilah
– Sharjah: Matajer Al Musalla
– Dubai: Shindagha City Centre
– Abu Dhabi: Al Nahyan
– Abu Dhabi: Ground Floor, Workers Village, Mussafah
– Abu Dhabi: Al Arzaq Street, Mussafah
– Abu Dhabi: Yas Mall
– Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Marsa Mina
– Abu Dhabi: Hamdan Street
– Al Ain: Lulu Hypermarket Kuwaitat
– Ajman: Safeer Mall
– Ajman: Escape Tower
– Ras Al Khaimah: Oman Road, Al Nakheel
For opening hours and additional information, call 06 558 0000
Flydubai
The low-cost airline offers Home Check-in options, as well as the Belt pick-up and delivery service, meaning passengers can head straight home or to their hotel when they arrive in Dubai and have their luggage delivered.
The Home Check-in service is available for those on a flydubai flight departing from Dubai International Airport. Passengers will need to fill out a request form up to six hours before departure. An agent will meet them at a designated address, check in their luggage and hand over a boarding pass, as well as baggage tags.
The fee depends on the number of bags, starting at Dh199 for one or two bags, excluding VAT.
A Land and Leave service, starting at Dh249, allows passengers returning to Dubai to have their baggage collected and delivered to their home.
A bundle option for Home Check-in and Land and Leave is also available, starting at Dh349. Both services can be booked via flydubai's website.
– A version of this story was originally published on March 27, 2023
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)
Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)
Torino v Bologna (6pm)
Verona v Genoa (9pm)
Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)
Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Racecard
6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m
8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m
10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Match statistics
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 36 Bahrain 32
Harlequins
Tries: Penalty 2, Stevenson, Teasdale, Semple
Cons: Stevenson 2
Pens: Stevenson
Bahrain
Tries: Wallace 2, Heath, Evans, Behan
Cons: Radley 2
Pen: Radley
Man of the match: Craig Nutt (Harlequins)
RESULTS
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FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
HERO%20CUP%20TEAMS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EContinental%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrancesco%20Molinari%20(c)%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Detry%3Cbr%3ERasmus%20Hojgaard%3Cbr%3EAdrian%20Meronk%3Cbr%3EGuido%20Migliozzi%3Cbr%3EAlex%20Noren%3Cbr%3EVictor%20Perez%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Pieters%3Cbr%3ESepp%20Straka%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EGreat%20Britain%20%26amp%3B%20Ireland%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ETommy%20Fleetwood%20(c)%3Cbr%3EEwen%20Ferguson%3Cbr%3ETyrrell%20Hatton%3Cbr%3EShane%20Lowry%3Cbr%3ERobert%20MacIntyre%3Cbr%3ESeamus%20Power%3Cbr%3ECallum%20Shinkwin%3Cbr%3EJordan%20Smith%3Cbr%3EMatt%20Wallace%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Etwo%20permanent%20magnet%20synchronous%20motors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Etwo-speed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E625hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E850Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E456km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh737%2C480%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A