EMIRATES ANNOUNCES FLIGHTS TO LOS ANGELES

By Michael Hepworth

DUBAI, U.A.E., – Emirates, one of the world’s most successful and fastest-growing international airlines, is set to expand its network even further this year with the start of services to the West Coast of the U.S.  In Fall/Winter 2008, Emirates will open its third U.S. gateway with non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Dubai .  Operating daily, the service will be the first non-stop operation connecting Dubai , the gateway to Arabia, to L.A. , the gateway to Hollywood .  Emirates will fly its Boeing 777-200LR on the route, offering 266 seats in a three class configuration, and will provide up to ten tons of cargo capacity from L.A.

 
“ Los Angeles represents Emirates’ commitment to the American market,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.  “We have evaluated the U.S. for expansion opportunities and have carefully examined our existing services in Houston and New York- both of which have been very successful.  We look forward to recreating this success by connecting Los Angeles to Dubai and beyond.”

“I am pleased that Emirates has chosen L.A. as its U.S. West Coast gateway, and I look forward to the start of service later this year,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles.  “The route opens a new destination for business and leisure travelers in the Gulf region, a part of the world not previously served from Los Angeles .  It will also enable travelers to reach every region of the world non-stop from LAX.”

The new flight runs a distance of 8,339 miles, clocking a journey time of 16 hours and 35 minutes to California , while the shorter return flight will be just under 16 hours.  Flight 215 will depart Dubai daily at 8:20 a.m., arriving in Los Angeles at 1:55 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.  The return route, Flight 216, will depart Los Angeles at 4:45 p.m., arriving in Dubai at 7:40 p.m. local time the following day.

The non-stop, long haul flight will deliver the highest standards of comfort. Emirates’ 777-200LR is fitted with eight luxurious private suites in first class, 42 of its latest lie-flat beds in business class, and generous space for 216 passengers in economy class.Passengers in all classes will enjoy the award-winning service from Emirates’ international cabin crew recruited from over 100 countries around the world, including meals prepared by gourmet chefs and the airline’s award-winning ice Digital Widescreen product (information, communication, entertainment) now boasting over 1,000 channels of entertainment in all classes and nearly 1,700 hours of video and audio entertainment.

 
The new service will operate out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which handled more than 61 million passengers in 2007.  L.A. is the fourth new destination that Emirates has announced it will be introducing in 2008.  The airline has also initiated services to Cape Town on March 30, and plans to launch service to Calicut , India and Guangzhou , China on July 1, 2008.  The new route joins Emirates’ growing network of American destinations including a double daily service to New York ’s JFK International Airport and its daily service to Houston ’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport .
Emirates currently serves 99 cities in 62 countries across the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Europe, the Far East, and North America . For flight information and bookings, please visit www.emirates.com.