Today's Edition
Rasha Tubeileh (Abu Dhabi)
With summer being the peak travel season, national carriers and tourism companies offer crucial tips for an easy and enjoyable journey. Key advice includes early booking, arriving at the airport four hours before the flight, and using smart travel options provided by airlines and airports. These options include electronic gates, self-service luggage services, electronic boarding passes, and verifying luggage weight. Booking hotels early is also recommended.
The UAE’s advanced aviation sector, with modern airports and smart services, has simplified travel. Etihad Airways’ Yaroub Obaidallah, Regional Manager for the UAE and Central Region, advises passengers to complete travel procedures electronically to avoid congestion. Etihad’s new headquarters at Zayed International Airport boasts modern facilities, including smart outlets for travel procedures, which reduce waiting times.
Obaidallah highlighted the convenience of completing travel procedures online via the Etihad Airways website or app, and suggests arriving at the airport four hours before the flight. Etihad also offers a home service for a nominal fee, including printing boarding passes, clearing baggage, and selecting seats.
The summer season is especially busy, with an expected five million passengers between June and September. Popular destinations include London, Bangkok, New York, Amman, Manila, and Cairo, with new routes to Santorini, Mykonos, Nice, Jaipur, Qassim, and Bali.
Emirates Airline anticipates a significant travel peak starting July 6, and urged customers to consider key travel dates. To ensure a smooth experience, passengers departing from Dubai should allocate extra time for travel, arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure, and complete travel procedures and reach the departure gate one hour before the flight. Emirates recommends completing travel procedures online via the website or app 48 hours before departure and checking in luggage early.
Flydubai also advises completing online check-in 48 hours to 75 minutes before departure, verifying baggage weight, and arriving at the airport three hours before the flight. Flydubai will resume flights to various summer destinations, adding ten new locations to its network, including Batumi, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Olbia, Santorini, and Sochi.
Data from the General Civil Aviation Authority shows a 14.7% increase in passengers during the first three months of this year, totalling 36.5 million.
Nirvana Travel and Tourism’s CEO, Alaa Al Ali, recommends booking early to secure better prices, flight seats, and hotel reservations in popular summer destinations.
