Airport Metro Express turns 1; begins international check-in

NEW DELHI: International fliers can now hop on to Delhi's high-speed Airport Metro Express 'baggageless' with the much-awaited check-in facility for flights abroad at its stations kicking off today on the first anniversary of the corridor.

National carrier Air India and private airlines -- Jet and Kingfisher -- began the check-in facility at New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium stations today, exactly a year after the showcase line opened for the public.

While Air India has opened the facility for its flights to five Gulf countries and Nepal, Jet Airways will provide the facility for its flights to Nepal and Kingfisher to Hong Kong initially.

Miza Muzaffar, a native of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, was the first to avail the check-in facility at the Air India counter at New Delhi station.

"I work in Abu Dhabi and I came to know about this facility. I am happy that this opened. I got my boarding card," he said.

The facility allows fliers to check-in their baggage before boarding the Airport Metro Express to reach the new swanky Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. They will be given the boarding cards at the station itself.

The luggage will then be transferred to the train, which has a dedicated space, and directly boarded to the respective aircraft through a conveyor.

"Passengers have to check-in minimum two-and-a-half hours prior to their flight time. Fliers can check-in and collect their boarding cards maximum eight hours prior to their flight time," a Reliance Infra spokesman said.