Emirates starts baggage delivery

Emirates has launched a baggage delivery service at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport so customers will no longer have to wait. Positioned just beyond the immigration counters, the service allows customers to have their baggage delivered anywhere in the UAE for a nominal fee. "Providing our customers with a seamless and efficient travel experience is at the forefront of whatever we do at Emirates, and the launch of the new baggage delivery service is just another initiative towards ensuring the comfort and convenience of our customers when they travel through Terminal 3," said Mohammad H. Mattar, divisional senior vice-president for airport services at Emirates. Dedicated agents will collect the baggage and clear customs. Customers will be charged Dh200 for up to four pieces of luggage, for delivery anywhere in Dubai, Ajman and Sharjah, and Dh250 for delivery in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. Dh10 will be charged for each extra bag. All bags must conform to standard weight and dimensions regulations. Under Dubai customs regulations any bag found to contain banned items will require a physical check in the presence of the customer. The delivery fee will not be refunded if customers have not declared such items. Globally, airport ground handling agents process 2.7 million pieces of luggage per day. Baggage fees According to International Air Transport Association statistics, more than a billion pieces of checked baggage are handled worldwide every year. According to a US Transportation Department survey based on select US airlines, baggage fees increased 33 per cent in the first three months of 2010. The department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that in the third quarter of 2009 the ten largest US carriers collected $740 million (Dh2.72 billion) in baggage fees — more than double the amount collected in the corresponding period a year earlier.