With the start of its busiest ever festive season, UAE national carrier Etihad Airways is implementing a range of initiatives to ensure the smooth handling of over 80,000 guests who are checking-in and travelling from, or through, its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport over the peak weekend, between December 16 to 18.

These key initiatives include:

*Economy Class Early Check-in counters: Guests can check-in up to 24 hours before departure at the Flex Check-in counters – which are available 24/7, and located within the main check-in halls of terminal’s 1 and 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

All guests using this facility to check-in at least 8 hours prior to departure will receive an additional 5kg of checked baggage free of charge. Check-in between 01.00 and 06.00 and 13.00 and 18.00 to avoid peak hours.

*Online & Mobile Check-in: Guests can check-in online from 39 hours to two hours prior to departure. With a few simple clicks, avoid having to check-in at the airport, select your preferred seat - and you go directly to bag drop counter off when you arrive at the airport.

Also, with its newly-launched App for iPhones and Androids, guests can check-in whilst on the move, said Etihad in its statement.

*City Check-in: Guests can also check-in at the downtown City Terminal in Abu Dhabi to save time at the airport.

Guests living in Dubai can check-in at the Etihad Travel Mall from 24 hours to four hours before the flight. The Etihad Luxury Coach Service is coordinated with each arriving and departing flight.

Guests can also use this complimentary facility if they are travelling with our partners airberlin, Air Seychelles and Jet Airways, it stated.

*Abu Dhabi International Airports’ Smart Travel’: Guests are able to speed up their journey by using Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Smart Travel system on departure and arrival.

To access this, guests need to pre-register at one of the Smart Travel E-Registration desks located in Terminal 1 and 3 Check-in hallsm, said the statement.-TradeArabia News Service