Effective March 8, all bags lacking a flat surface traveling through Dubai International Airport will be rejected at check-in for flights to or through Dubai. The ruling states only bags with flat surfaces will be accepted; flat-bottomed rectangular and square packages will continue to be accepted, granted they are not oversized or irregularly shaped.
The new rule doesn’t mean passengers failing to comply won’t be allowed to check belongings, but they will be required to repack their luggage in a box for a fee or proceed to the oversized baggage counter.
Dubai Airports said the strict new checked luggage rule is intended to help improve service, reduce the risk of mishandled bags and enhance the speed of the airport’s check-in and baggage operation.
“Bags that are round or do not have a flat surface of any kind are by far the largest source of baggage jams,” said Ali Angizeh, vice president of terminal operations, Dubai International Airport. “These jams can shut down sections of our system, delay baggage delivery to the aircraft, and inconvenience our customers.”
Dubai International Airport notified airlines of the operating change and encourage them to alert passengers. Travelers are made aware of the new rule through the Dubai Airport website, mobile app and warning signs posted in the airport.
With a record of 8 million passengers in January, Dubai Airport is one of the busiest air travel gateways in the world. In January alone, the airport’s baggage system handled around 9.3 million pieces of luggage.
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