Although there is leeway, you are generally required to be at the airport two hours before your departure time. Check-in counters generally stop service 40 minutes to scheduled flight times. The gates close 15 minutes before the planes take off.
Happily, that is no longer the case in some cities where in-town check-in facilities are set up. These places are strategically located near business districts and sometimes, you can even finish the immigration process in the same building.
SEOUL
The City Airport, Logis and Travel (CALT) provides travellers flying on Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Asiana Airlines and Qantas Airways with an easy, step-by-step check-in process. This major transport hub in the Gangnam district allows travellers to purchase airline tickets and handle boarding passes, seat assignment and baggage consignment on the first floor before heading to immigration on the second floor.
International passengers should check-in three hours and 10 minutes before departure, while domestic passengers can check in two hours and 40 minutes before departure. The counters are open between 5.20 am and 6.30pm.
Once done, limousine bus services are available to ferry passengers to Incheon International Airport or Gimpo Airport where they can board their flight through exclusive, hassle-free CALT passages. A ride to Incheon International Airport from CALT takes approximately 65 to 80 minutes and costs KRW14,000 (US$12.66), while a ride to Gimpo Airport from CALT takes 45 to 55 minutes and costs KRW7,000 (US$6.10). Buses operate from five- to 15-minute intervals between 5.20am to 8pm.
For more information, visit www.calt.co.kr and click on “Check-in Process”.
HONG KONG
Airport Express, which conveniently connects Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to key urban areas and the AsiaWorld-Expo, offers free check-in counters at two stations – Hong Kong and Kowloon. Passengers can check in for flights by most of the major airlines and even low-cost carrier Jetstar no later than 90 minutes before departure.
Some airlines even offer day-before check-in, these are Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Dragonair, Singapore Airlines, Air India, Air New Zealand, EVA Air, Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express, Mandarin Airlines, Qantas Airways, South African Airways and Thai Airways.
After checking-in, passengers can board the Airport Express to HKIA. Trains depart at 12-minute intervals from 5.50am to 1.15am daily with the last train leaving Hong Kong station at 12.48am. Travel time between Hong Kong station and HKIA is approximately 24 minutes.
For more information, visit www.mtr.com.hk and click into the customer site for “Airport Express Services”.
SINGAPORE
Passengers flying Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Qantas and EVA Air can check in at the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (IR) Baggage Express counters located at the IR’s coach terminal in Basement 1.
Check-in should be conducted at least three hours before departure time and can be done as early as 48 hours in advance. Passengers will be able to receive their boarding passes, choose their seats and check-in their luggage before proceeding straight to immigration at Changi Airport. There is a handling fee of S$25 (US$19.41) for every two pieces of luggage checked in.
The check-in counters are open from Thursdays to Mondays between 10am to 6pm.
If you are a Marina Bay Sands hotel guest, there is a complimentary airport shuttle to Changi Airport that operates round the clock. The shuttle departs from the hotel every 30 minutes from 6am to 10pm and at one-hour intervals from 10pm to 6am. Non-hotel guests can board the shuttle for a fee of S$25 (US$19.41).
Alternatively, you can take a 10-minute taxi ride or walk to the Promenade Station and take a train to Changi Airport. The journey takes 30 minutes.
For more information, go to www.marinabaysands.com and find Marina Bay Sands Baggage Express under “Amenities For Business”.
KUALA LUMPUR
Passengers flying Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates can check in at Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT) located within KL Sentral Station – KL’s premier transit hub that includes the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Ekspres to the airport.
Passengers should check in at least two hours before departure time or 90 minutes for those on domestic flights without luggage. Luggage are bar-coded and transferred to your flight at KLIA for free. Do note you need to present your KLIA Ekspres or KLIA Transit ticket upon check in and that counters operate between 4.30am to 11.30pm daily.
The KLIA Ekspres operates between 5am and 12.30am from KL Sentral Station and leaves at 15-minute intervals during peak hours, between 6am to 9am and 4pm to 10pm, and at 20-minute intervals during off-peak hours and on weekends. The journey from KL Sentral to KLIA takes 28 minutes.
For more information, visit www.kliaekspres.com
JAKARTA
Garuda Indonesia offers passengers a check-in service at any of the Garuda Indonesia sales offices in Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya. Passengers can collect their boarding passes at the city check-in facilities but have to check in their luggage at the airport.
This service is available 24 hours, seven days a week and passengers are required to check in at least four hours prior to departure.
Travelling to Jakarta International Airport from the main Jakarta office at Jl Gunung Sahari Raya No. 52 takes approximately one-and-a-half to two hours.
For more information, visit www.garuda-indonesia.com and look for “Check in” under “Products and Services”.
ABU DHABI
Etihad Airways has a 24-hour check-in counter at the Abu Dhabi City Terminal, located just in front of the Abu Dhabi Mall. The facility allows passengers to check-in for their flight a day to six hours before departure.
For an extra charge of AED30 (US$ 8.17), passengers may use the terminal’s coach service to the Abu Dhabi International Airport as well as access the Duty Free shop and certain food and beverage services at the City Terminal. The journey between Abu Dhabi City Terminal and the airport takes 30 minutes.
However, the service is unavailable for US-bound flights.
For more information, visit www.etihadairways.com or call the Etihad Abu Dhabi City Check-in office +971 2 644 5599
ZURICH AND GENEVA
There are over 50 Swiss railway stations offering check-in services for passengers flying Swiss International, Lufthansa and a host of other airlines.
Operating hours and check-in time varies with each railway station and flight departure. Passengers can check in a maximum of 24 hours before departure, and there is a CHF20 (US$20.88) charge per luggage item checked in.
A ride from Zurich Hauptbahnhof station to Zurich Airport takes 20 minutes, while the trip from Geneva station to Geneva International Airport takes 15 minutes.
For more information, visit http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/services/im-bahnhof/reisegepaeck/flyrail.htm
DUBAI
Passengers flying Etihad Airways can have ticketing, security screening and baggage check all taken care of at a facility in the Etihad office on the ground floor of Chelsea Tower Apartments, located next to Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The counter is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week, and passengers can check in a day to six hours before departure.
The airline also offers scheduled luxury coaches, between 5.30am and 11.30pm daily, to transport Coral economy class passengers from the check-in facility to Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Based on their departure times, passengers will be provided with the most appropriate bus to take them to the airport. Travel time to the airport is about one hour and 20 minutes.
Diamond first class and Pearl business class passengers can avail the services of a personal chauffeur.
For more information, visit www.etihadairways.com or call the Etihad Dubai City Check-in office at +971 4 321 6471
VIENNA
The City Air Terminal at Wien-Mitte Station provides check-in services for passengers who are travelling on Austrian Airlines.
Passengers can check in at either the manned desks or self-service kiosks at least 75 minutes before departure. Day-before check-in is also available from 24 hours prior
to departure.
Once check-in is completed, the City Airport Train (CAT) takes passengers from Vienna City Centre to the Vienna International Airport (VIA) in 16 minutes. The train operates in 30-minute intervals between CAT and VIA beginning at 5.38am in CAT and 6.05am at VIA, and ending at 11.08pm in CAT and 11.35pm at VIA.
For more information, visit www.cityairporttrain.com and look at “City Check-in Wien Mitte” under “Services”.
Fast Facts
Most countries allow passengers to hand-carry liquids, gels or aerosols in containers of 100ml (3.4oz) or less on board, but they have to be sealed in a transparent plastic bag of not more than one litre in capacity. If you have larger bottles, make sure that they are in your checked-in bags. Passengers departing from India are not allowed to hand-carry any liquids, gels or aerosols at all.
If you have to hand-carry needles or syringes for medical reasons, you need to produce an appropriate medical advice.
Make sure that you are issued all the correct boarding passes and that your travel documents are in order before leaving the check-in counter.
Take note of the boarding time on your pass as it varies between airlines and can be anywhere between 10 to 45 minutes before departure time.
Check where your boarding gate is beforehand on the airport’s website or at the information counter to make sure you have enough time to proceed to it.
Changi
www.changiairport.com (click on Getting Around)
Gimpo Airport
www.airport.co.kr (click on Terminal Information)
Hong Kong International Airport
www.hongkongairport.com (look for Map under Passenger Guide)
Incehon Airport
www.airport.kr (look for Airport Map in the Quick Menu) (click on Map at the bottom and download the PDF)
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
www.klia.com.my (look under KLIA Map)
Vienna International Airport
www.viennaairport.com (click on Airport Map under Airport
