Business | Aviation
Emirates begins Los Angeles flights
Service will target large concentration of residents of Middle Eastern and Asian origin.
- By Babu Das Augustine, Banking Editor
- Published: 08:38 October 26, 2008
- Image Credit: Supplied photo
- Emirates' LA flight will be its third into the US, following New York and Houston.
Dubai: Emirates has become the Middle East's first airline to link the region with the US West Coast as it launched its non-stop service to Los Angeles on Sunday morning.
The event takes place at a time when the US economy is reeling from a massive financial crisis that has hit its transport sector badly.
The Emirates Boeing 777-200LR flight EK215 took off from Dubai at 8.30am on Sunday and was expected to arrive in Los Angeles at 13.30pm local time the same day.
"Los Angeles represents Emirates' commitment to the American market," Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, said in a statement.
"We have evaluated the US for expansion opportunities and have carefully examined our existing services to 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."
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The new route marks the first non-stop operation connecting Dubai to California.
With this new service the airline is targeting the large concentration of residents of Middle Eastern and South Asian origin based in Los Angeles and other West Coast cities.
"This route opens a new destination for business and leisure travellers in the Gulf region, a part of the world not previously served from Los Angeles. It will also enable travel-lers to reach every region of the world non-stop from LAX," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
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