Abu Dhabi airport reopens bag drop service in city centre

Passengers can receive boarding pass and check in their bags at Zayed Port Cruise Terminal the day before their flight

Abu Dhabi city check-in service at the Cruise Terminal in the capital's Zayed Port. Photo: Morafiq Aviation Services

The Abu Dhabi city check-in service is open seven days a week. Photo: Morafiq Aviation Services

Users can check in up to 24 hours before their flights at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

Passengers can also acquire their boarding passes. Photo: Abu Dhabi Airports

The check-in service is a help to travellers as passenger numbers surge at Abu Dhabi International airport. Delores Johnson / The National

The city check-in service is open from 9am to 9pm. Photo: Morafiq Aviation Services

Abu Dhabi Airports has resumed a service that allows passengers to check in for their flight before heading to the airport.

Check-in can be done at the Zayed Port Cruise Terminal seven days a week from 9am to 9pm.

People can get a boarding pass there and skip the hassle of taking bags to the capital's airport.

It also reduces waiting times and congestion at the main airport.

Currently only passengers flying on Etihad Airways can use the service but more airlines are expected to be added in the coming weeks.

The service resumes as travel demand surges and passenger traffic rebounds at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

“Etihad Airways has resumed its city check-in services at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, effective October 19,” a representative for the airline said.

Passengers can check in from a maximum 24 hours in advance to a minimum four hours before they depart.

The cost for an adult is Dh45; D25 for a child, while an infant (under 2) is Dh15. The cost for a family of four is Dh120.

Abu Dhabi Airports previously operated a city check-in service in the capital's Al Zahiyah area adjacent to Abu Dhabi Mall, but this closed in 2019.

It is believed the new location was picked because of the ability to handle cruise and general passengers and the fact it is served by several bus routes and has wide availability of parking.

Buses Number 9 (Marina Mall) and Number 44 (Armed Forces Officers Club) stop at the facility.

The service is run by Morafiq Aviation Services and it confirmed to The National that it expected demand to be strong at the terminal amid the boom in travel and the staging of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar that starts on November 20.

It added that it expected more airlines to be added and the service could run 24-hours a day if the demand is there.

It also comes as passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport surges amid a post-coronavirus increase in demand and easing global travel restrictions.

The airport handled 3.6 million passengers in the three months to the end of June, an almost fivefold increase on the same quarter last year

The airport said it expected to handle 13 million passengers this year, up from a projection in February of 10 million. It also said passenger traffic could reach pre-coronavirus levels by 2024 if not sooner.

For more information on the city check-in service, meanwhile, passengers can call the terminal at 02 5833345.