Emirates Airline, Skytrax Airline of the Year 2013, is adding passenger and cargo capacity in San Francisco and Houston on December 1st and 3rd respectively when it switches from operating the routes with a Boeing 777-300ER to its iconic double-decker Airbus A380.
Emirates Airline says the A380 will offer an additional 135 seats to San Francisco and 137 to Houston, representing a 38 percent increase in overall passenger capacity, and 80 percent more seats across the premium cabins.
“Since 2007, we have carried over 2.3 million passengers on the San Francisco and Houston routes, and our flagship A380 will allow us to connect even more people and facilitate trade between these important U.S. cities and the Middle East, India, Africa and beyond.” said Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West. We look forward to bringing this experience to our customers in San Francisco and Houston.” The Emirates service from San Francisco operates daily as EK226, departing San Francisco at 3:30PM and arriving in Dubai the following day at 7:25PM. EK 225 departs Dubai at 8:50AM and arrives at San Francisco International Airport at 12:50PM the same day.
Emirates’ daily flight EK211 to Houston departs Dubai at 9:30AM and arrives at 4:05PM. The return flight, EK212, takes off from George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 6:25PM and lands in Dubai at 7:05PM the next day.
San Francisco and Houston will be Emirates 4th and 5th U.S. gateways serviced by an A380, joining New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas/Fort Worth which is due to commence on October 1st. This latest announcement means that by December, Emirates will be serving both its Texan destinations with an A380 service.
Emirates Airline started flying to Houston in December 2007, directly connecting the city with the energy sector hubs in Dubai and the Middle East.
San Francisco is a city which Emirates has served since December 2008. As a world-renowned corporate and tourism destination, it offers global travellers access to incredible culture and cuisine from Napa Valley to Silicon Valley. Emirates ties to the City by the Bay extend beyond the airport, as a proud supporter of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra.
San Francisco and Houston will be the 31st and 32nd destinations on Emirates network serviced by the A380.
Source : WAM News Agency for United Arab Emirates
