The country’s two big airlines are bracing for what they expect to be their busiest holiday season.
Passengers flying this Friday can expect the biggest crowds at check-in desks as thousands of residents head for the airports of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways and Emirates have urged passengers to check in on time in the run-up to the annual festive rush.
Emirates expects December 19 to be its busiest day, when 80,000 people are booked to travel on 240 flights – which represents a 23 per cent jump on last year.
“We have deployed extra staff at the airport to assist our customers, and we ask all travellers to be aware of check-in and gate closure timings,” said Mohammed Mattar, the divisional senior vice president at Emirates Airport Services. “They should also allow ample time to get through the various touch points at the airport, as check-in and gate closure timings will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule.”
Mr Mattar added that customers who check in less than 60 minutes before their scheduled flight departure will not be allowed to board the flight.
Etihad has introduced a series of passenger traffic speeding measures that are due to run through December 24.
They include a “moonlight check-in”, where guests who check in during moonlight hours will get an additional 5kg baggage allowance and 5,000 bonus guest miles.
The airline is also offering a complimentary shuttle bus to transport its guests from the city centre terminal to the airport.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are investing billions of dollars in expanding their airports to cope with double-digit passenger growth resulting from the rapid expansion of Etihad and Emirates.
Passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport increased by 17.4 per cent in October, the latest data show. More than 1.69 million people passed through the airport during that month compared with about 1.44 million a year earlier.
Meanwhile, passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport rose 5.7 per cent in October putting the airport on track to eclipse the 71 million passenger mark by the end of the year, according to the latest traffic report issued by the operator Dubai Airports.
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Inside%20Out%202
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The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
SPECS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Company%20Profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
