Soon, check in for your flight in Dubai taxis

The DTC currently manages 350 taxis deployed exclusively at Dubai Airports to serve arriving passengers.

Running late to catch a flight? You could check-in inside a taxi on your way to the airport. The Dubai Taxi Corporation, DTC, at the Roads and Transport Authority, is considering offering a new service that will help customers travelling via Dubai Airports to have their airport check-in procedures finalised during their taxi ride.
"Under the initiative, the DTC will facilitate check-in formalities when a taxi is ordered by a traveller to be collected from home or place of work," explained said Ahmed Khalfan Al Suwaidi, CEO of the DTC.
He added that the vehicle dispatched would be fitted with the equipment required to complete the check-in procedure such as a scale for checking the weight of the luggage, issuing the luggage tag, and printing the boarding pass.
"The vehicle will then take the passenger and the luggage to the airport where the traveller will only need to go to the gate for boarding," he said.
The process is expected to help reduce congestion at check-in counters at Dubai Airport.
The DTC currently manages 350 taxis deployed exclusively at Dubai Airports to serve arriving passengers, in addition to 113 vehicles dedicated for VIPs, 100 ladies' and family taxis, and seven taxis for the disabled.
"The undergoing review is focused on the positives of this service and the amount of satisfaction it will add to passengers by facilitating their travel procedures, and minimising the congestion at the entrance of the airport check-in queues," said Ahmed Khalfan. The initiative will expedite and facilitate the check-in process, and avoid any delay in catching the departure time.
"The plan covers examining all improvement potentials and taking different procedures to avoid any negative issues that might block this service in cooperation with the internal bodies at the agency and the RTA, as well as external bodies such as Dubai Airports, among others," he explained.
The service, which is being coordinated with Dubai Airports, is intended to expedite the needs of passengers.
"The idea is one of the RTA's initiatives for delivering services capable of raising the satisfaction and happiness of both customers and visitors of Dubai," said Ahmed Khalfan. "The idea, which is a brainchild of Abdulla Al Meer, Director of Business Development, was shared with Dubai Airport where it was warmly received, especially as it is unprecedented in any airport or taxi operator worldwide. Coordination is in hand to review the requirements of implementation."
The DTC taxis pick up passengers arriving at Dubai airports for any destination in the UAE 24 hours a day. They have dedicated parking places at Terminal 1, 2 and 3 as well as Al Maktoum International Airport.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai