Flying via Etihad Airways? You should know about this 'free' service

Abu Dhabi - With the City Terminal, passengers can check-in up to 24 hours or at least four hours before the flight time.

City Terminal in the capital has changed the way people travel during annual vacations, business or leisure trips.
Gone are the days when passengers used to worry about airport check-ins while scouting for trolleys, standing in long queues, fretting about excess baggage, while managing infants and young children all along. Abu Dhabi City Terminal, over the years, has helped people start their holiday the way it should be - chilled and tension free.
With the City Terminal, passengers can check-in up to 24 hours or at least four hours before the flight time. They can drop off their baggage and collect their boarding passes, thus managing their time better and be able to take the e-gates after reaching the airport. The service provided is akin to that in a mall or hypermarket - customer is the king.
This is great service for those on a busy schedule as it saves them time as they need to reach the airport only an hour before their flight departure.
City Terminal was opened in 1999 and has seen continued growth in passenger numbers since. Its rising popularity can be gauged by the fact that in the first three years, the facility was used by 25,000 passengers. However, the Abu Dhabi Airport Company data states that in 2013, as many as 127,237 passengers used the facility and last year the figure nearly doubled to 235,150. The forecast for this year exceeds 240,000.
Making smart choices
The facility covers 15 airlines and passengers are mostly satisfied. Wong Ming, who was off to London on Etihad Airways, said the facility is like a 'shopping mall experience' without any tension. "There is enough time to re-pack your baggage if it's excess. I have never experienced such a facility anywhere in the world. I hope the airport authority will expand it to other places."
El Sherbini Yousria, leaving for Cairo, said: "This is unparalleled service for passengers like me who run their own business and have busy schedules. I always handover my bags and collect the boarding card as per my time and convenience. This makes my travel peaceful and saves a lot of time."
The service is free for Etihad Airways and partner airlines, but for others it costs Dh30 per adult and Dh20 per children.
Reyes Ralf Rigor, going to Manila on Philippines Airlines, has been using the facility for many years. "I don't mind paying a fee for this service as it is worth it," he said.
Abdul Rahman Al Hayayi, also flying Etihad to Manchester, said: "This is a fantastic service. Getting your bags cleared up to 24 hours before departure and getting a boarding card in hand makes my travel tension-free."
Renjith Varghese, who was leaving for Thiruvananthapuram, said the check-in time for Air India and Air India Express is limited to 12 hours before departure. He is also looking forward to such a facility to open in Mussafah. "I travel with family twice a year. We come here from Mussafah to clear the baggage and get boarding passes. I am paying about Dh100 more for the services, but I never miss this opportunity as it is worth it. I would like to get this facility expanded to Mussafah too."
Also, if any passenger wishes to travel directly to the airport, there's buses from City Terminal that depart every 45 minutes and cost only Dh4 per passenger.
There's also a range of baggage services available including wrapping, sealing and packaging. Big Ticket raffle is another attraction.
The check-in facility is also available at Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC), which is the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi