Emirates lets air passengers in the UAE check in at home
Free for first class passengers, Emirates has made it possible to check in at home – and hand over luggage – so customers can spend less time at Dubai airport. Rose Dykins reports
Emirates has enhanced the seamlessness of its passenger experience with a new Home Check-in service that offers passengers the option to check in from the comfort and convenience of their own home, hotel or office.
Available to customers based in Dubai and Sharjah, the service is free for first class customers and 177 dirhams (£26) for those travelling in other classes.
As part of the offering, check-in agents from the airline visit people's homes or hotels at pre-booked timings to complete their check-in process. This includes document verification, checking in their baggage and issuing boarding passes.
The agents will then take luggage directly to the airport, leaving customers more time to travel to the airport – making sure they still arrive a minimum of 90 minutes prior to their flight. (There is an allocated counter at the airport for any last-minute extra luggage they may have).
When they enter Dubai International airport (DXB), customers get to skip the check-in desk and head straight to immigration and security.
First class customers – who will have arrived via the airline's free first class chauffeur service – will then continue to Emirates’ first class lounge. From there, they can directly board their flight through a private air bridge on certain routes.
Emirates' Home Check-in service needs to be booked at least 24 hours prior to a customer's flight departure time, and the latest check in for the home service is six hours before the flight’s departure.
In pursuit of a more smooth and contactless airport experience, Emirates is encouraging passengers of all classes to use the Emirates app to check in, get a mobile boarding pass and use the airline's self-service bag drop.
Customers can continue hands-free through the DXB airport via its integrated biometric tunnel and smart gates
At a time where many travellers will be apprehensive about travelling through an airport environment due to Covid-19, the service from Emirates will be a welcome option that will help them minimise their time spent at high-contact areas.
The airline also offers a service where passengers can opt to coat their luggage in a long-lasting disinfectant for 219 dirhams (£48) or choose a speedier journey through the airport by upgrading to its Marhaba fast-track service for 482 dirhams (£107), where a member of staff is on hand to guide them through the airport and expedite the process.
Emirates Land and Leave service also allows inbound passengers at DXB to head straight home without waiting around for their luggage. Their bags are then delivered to wherever they are in Dubai, having been fully sanitised. The service costs 93 dirhams (£21) per bag.