ABU DHABI // E-registration for passengers leaving from Abu Dhabi International Airport has begun and is compulsory for all.
On Monday, Abu Dhabi Airports Company announced the move, saying that about 85,000 people are expected to depart the airport during the Eid Al Fitr holiday, which will start next Sunday.
Abu Dhabi Airports have described what travellers need to know about Smart Travel, launched in March to decrease by up to 70 per cent the time it takes for a passenger to move through the airport’s checks:
1. What’s the step-by-step process, and how long does it take?
For passengers who are already registered with Smart Travel:
› Self check-in: This can be done through online check-in, or the airport’s self check-in kiosks, or the remote check-in facilities outside the airport (available at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and City Terminal). Drop luggage at the baggage drop counters. Complete the passport and iris scans at the new e-gates.
(Note: Passengers also have the option to use self-boarding gates, where they scan their boarding pass without the assistance of an airline employee, after which they can board their flight. While the self-boarding gates are still being installed in phases, they are expected to be found at all airport gates by the end of this year.)
For passengers who are not yet registered with Smart Travel:
› Passengers who already checked in online or at a self check-in kiosk: customer service staff will assist with registration without having to queue for check-in.
› Passengers who have not checked in yet: proceed to check-in counters, and e-registration for the new Smart Travel system can be conducted while queuing for check in with the aid of an immigration officer who will conduct the biometric scan. Only a valid passport is needed.
› Any passenger above the age of five can register. Registration is free of charge and only needs to be conducted once. However, once a passport expires, the new passport should be re-scanned in the system during the first journey after renewal.
› Once registered, passengers can continue with check-in and baggage drop, and then proceed to the new e-gates, or traditional immigration desks if they have a child under five or prefer to have a acquire a passport stamp.
2. Can people register any time before their travel date, or should it be on the day itself?
Yes, one can go to the airport any time with a valid passport and register. E-registration takes place at the check-in counters in both Terminal 1 and 3.
3. Should people factor in extra time at the airport to get this done?
While e-registration takes 20 seconds only, passengers are advised to allocate extra time for other airport processes during peak travel season. Passengers should reach the airport three hours before their flight, especially this weekend, when the number of passengers are expected to increase for Eid and summer break. An adequate number of staff will be available to assist passengers.
4. How many e-registration counters in check-in areas have been set up for passengers to register their travel documents?
There are 25 e-registration kiosks distributed between Terminals 1 and 3.
5. What biometric information is taken?
Only an iris scan, which will be taken by the Ministry of Interior.
6. Are transit passengers who may only be spending a couple of days in Abu Dhabi required to register?
They will be registered automatically upon their arrival at immigration.
7. How can people check if they have already been registered?
All registered passengers will have stickers on their passports stating that their passports have been registered.
8. Does the Abu Dhabi e-registration system work with Dubai’s e-gate system?
Not yet, but it is under process to unify procedures.
9. How many flights are expected to operate out of Abu Dhabi International Airport and how many passengers are expected to depart from the airport on July 6, 10 and 11, which were forecast to be its busiest days?
Around 13,000 passengers are expected to depart from Abu Dhabi International Airport on each of these days. There will be an average of 230 flights daily.
10. Since its launch in March, as the Smart Travel system significantly improved passenger flow at the airport?
Passenger response has been very positive so far and until now we have registered over two million passengers. The system reduces processing times by 70 per cent on average, which enhances the passenger experience immensely.
hdajani@thenational.ae
rruiz@thenational.ae