Etihad Airways has offered key travel tips to help passengers plan their journey, while encouraging them to make use of the airline's array of digital solutions, as it gears up for high passenger volumes at Abu Dhabi International Airport with the winter holiday round the corner.

John Wright, Etihad Airways Chief Operations & Guest Officer, said: "We're welcoming a significant number of guests during the winter holiday season.

“Our team is fully prepared to make the journey as seamless as possible, and we encourage travellers to take advantage of our digital services and arrive early to ensure a relaxed start to their journey."

Flight Information and Updates

Guests are advised to keep up to date with the latest travel information on their flight by checking the Manage My Booking section on etihad.com or the mobile app. Here they can view or make changes to their flight, select a seat, and access a range of other options.

Pre-purchase Travel Options

Etihad.com has a variety of pre-purchase seating and upgrade options for greater comfort while travelling during the winter holidays. 'Economy Extra Legroom' offers a generous area for guests to stretch their legs. There is also the 'Neighbour-free Seat' option for guests to choose at least 72 hours prior to departure.

Etihad Airways welcomes guests to enhance their pre-flight experience with First and Business Class Lounge access, available for purchase up to 90 minutes before departure through Manage My Booking at etihad.com.

The lounges also welcome walk-in guests, subject to availability.

Baggage Policy

Economy Class guests are permitted 7kg of carry-on baggage, while First and Business Class guests can bring up to 12kg. Cabin baggage must not exceed the dimensions of 50cm height, 25cm depth, and 40cm width. Additional baggage allowance can be purchased at special rates through Etihad's website or mobile app before departure.

Check-in

Guests can easily check-in online using etihad.com or the mobile app, and then take their luggage to one of the many automated self-service bag drops at the terminal. The facility allows guests to weigh and tag their bags and collect their boarding pass – all in under a minute.

For added convenience over the winter period, a number of offsite check-in and bag-drop facilities are available. Customers using these will be offered 1,000 Etihad Guest Miles from November 28 to December 27:

• Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal (open 24-hours)
• The Fountains – YAS Mall (open from 10am to 10pm)
• Mussafah (open from 10am to 10pm) 38 Al Arzaq Street, Mussafah Shabia-11, Behind Al Madina Hypermarket
• Al Ain (open from 10am till 10pm) Lulu Hypermarket Kuwaitat, Shakhboot Bin Sultan St, Central District

Early Check-in Options and Land & Leave Service

For ultimate convenience, guests can start their journey with home check-in through Morafiq, available up to five hours before departure. Starting from AED 185, the service includes baggage check-in, seat selection, and doorstep delivery of boarding passes.

Upon return to Abu Dhabi, the Land & Leave service offers a seamless arrival experience. Instead of waiting at the baggage carousel, guests can proceed directly to their destination while Morafiq delivers their bags to any Abu Dhabi address within three hours of landing.

Guests can easily book this service via the Morafiq app or website by providing their flight and delivery details.

US Pre-clearance Facility

Guests travelling to US destinations must check in at Terminal A at least four hours before their flight. First, Business, and The Residence guests should present themselves at the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility 90 minutes before departure, while all other guests must arrive two hours before departure.

The CBP facility closes one hour before flight departure. This exclusive service allows travellers to arrive in the United States as domestic passengers. – TradeArabia News Service