Dubai: If you always find the trip to the airport a stressful experience, you are not alone. Travelling can be stressful, especially during peak seasons like the upcoming winter break, but there are many different ways in which you can make this a smooth experience for your family and you.
Here are six tips to follow to breeze through the airport if you are planning to travel soon:
1. Check your flight status
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
• Go to dubaiairports.ae.
• Click on ‘flights’ and then ‘flight status’.
• Enter your flight number to find out if it is on schedule or there are any delays that you should factor in.
Zayed International Airport Abu Dhabi
• Visit https://www.zayedinternationalairport.ae/en/
• Type in your flight number into the ‘Find your flight’ section on the home page. If you don’t have your flight number, click on ‘See all flights’.
• You can choose the flight by the time slot within which it will fly, today or tomorrow. For example, if you are flying out later today, select ‘today’ from the drop-down menu, and then choose from the time slots provided.
Sharjah International Airport
• Visit sharjahairport.ae
• Under ‘flight information’ click on ‘departures’, and you will get the schedule for all flights departing from Sharjah.
Ras Al Khaimah Airport
• Visit rakairport.com
• On the home page, you will see flight information on the upcoming departures and arrivals from the airport.
• For flights that are not listed yet, click on the arrow next to ‘for complete detail’.
The website will provide you with the exact status of the flight schedule.
2. Find out how early you should arrive at the airport
Always check your ticket for the boarding time and when you should ideally reach the airport. Closer to the winter break, you may also need to check if the airport you are travelling from has issued advisories on how early you should reach the airport.
It is also important to double check which terminal your flight will take off from, to avoid any last minute confusion.
3. Use early check-in to fast-track your airport journey
In the run up to the winter travel season, Emirates airlines has already issued an advisory asking people to take advantage of the multiple check-in options that are available to its passengers, from home check-in to early baggage drop.
But regardless of which airline you are travelling from, there are options available for dropping off your bags up to 24 hours before your flight.
4. Book car parking online
If you are driving to Dubai International Airport and plan to leave your car there for the duration of your trip, you can book a parking spot in the parking area by following these steps:
• First visit this link: https://www.mawgif.com/dxbbooking
• Next, choose your terminal, the date and time for when you leave and arrive.
• After that, you will get a quote for the parking cost, which will show you the parking spot available for that day, the duration and price. The prices for the parking are not fixed and fluctuate depending on the day and time.
5. Opt for public transport to the airport
From the Dubai Metro (that stops right at Terminal 1 and 3, with a bus line to Terminal 2) to a shuttle bus, there are multiple public transport options that can take away the stress of catching a taxi or a ride from a friend to get to the airport.
Even if you need to go from Dubai to the Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, you can book your place on a shuttle bus to save money and time.
6. Take advantage of the smart gates
Airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah all have smart gates in place, that allow you to use your Emirates ID to clear immigration checks quickly.
Safety tips when travelling
1. Don’t post pictures of your ID, tickets, boarding pass
\, your passport, ID, tickets and boarding pass all have sensitive data, which can be used by cyber criminals to gain access to your emails or bank account.
Constantly posting pictures or selfies can also be problematic, as you may inadvertently share details of your location and name, which can also be used to access confidential information.
If you do want to share travel pictures, Dubai Police advises that you do it after a few days.
2. Travel light
It is also advisable to not wear luxury items when you are travelling to different countries, as you might be targeted by pickpockets.
3. Have someone check in at your home while you are away
If you live in an apartment, let your neighbours, friends or family members know and request them to check in at your place while you are away. Automated smart systems at home, with motion sensors, are also extremely helpful in keeping your home safe while you are travelling, according to Dubai Police.
If you live in a villa, Dubai Police also has a ‘home security’ service, which allows residents to sign up and have patrol cars keep an eye on their home, when they are patrolling the neighbourhood. Read more about it here.
