Emirates about to say \'howdy\' to Dallas Forth Worth in Texas

Emirates has taken its message to the Lone Star State this week, that it is about to launch flights from Dubai to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) in less than two weeks. More than 900 guests from local industries, the travel trade and the government gathered for a gala dinner event at the iconic Dallas Cowboys Stadium to discover more about one of the world\'s most successful airlines. “Texas has long been an important market for Emirates and now customers can enjoy the convenience of a second Texan gateway ”Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President, Passenger Sales Worldwide Earlier in the day, the Dallas/Fort Worth media met with Emirates representatives including Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President - Passenger Sales Worldwide; Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President - SkyCargo; Nigel Page, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations - The Americas; Brian LaBelle, Senior Vice President - Skywards, and Jim Baxter, Vice President - USA, Central America and Caribbean. \"As the first commercial non-stop flight to the Middle East in DFW\'s history, Emirates\' new non-stop service will support the local economy by deepening the economic and cultural ties between these two dynamic and growing regions of the world,\" said Thierry Antinori. \"Texas has long been an important market for Emirates and now customers can enjoy the convenience of a second Texan gateway, making it even easier to access our fast-growing network of 118 cities worldwide. Not only will this new route help promote Dubai and transit markets to America\'s south and southwest, it will also promote tourism, business and leisure travel to the southern United States from around the world,\" continued Antinori. Starting February 2, 2012, EK 221 will leave Dubai daily at 0245hrs, arriving at Dallas-Fort Worth at 0905hrs. The return sector, EK 222, leaves Dallas at 1150hrs, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 1220hrs the following day. \"Emirates\' new non-stop daily service between DFW and Dubai will connect two global super-hubs for U.S. travelers, bringing Texas closer to 10 cities in India and 17 cities across the Middle East, including many of the world\'s fastest-growing economies,\" said Jeffrey P. Fegan, CEO of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. As a strategically important trade hub and a key centre of the nation\'s oil industry, there are many synergies between the state of Texas and the United Arab Emirates. In 2009, Texan exports to the UAE reached over $1.7 billion - representing export growth of almost 200 per cent in just seven years. Commodities piped between Texas and the UAE include oil and gas industry related machinery, spares and high-tech equipment. A bellyhold capacity of 15 tonnes on each Emirates flight will help support this trade. It is projected that the route will also create over $200 million of local economic activity every year, providing a significant boost to the already flourishing trade between Dallas/Fort Worth and Dubai. Emirates currently serves 118 cities around the globe a fleet of 168 aircraft. The airline is the largest operator of the A380 and B777 in the world. The Dubai-Dallas/Fort Worth route will be operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft offering the highest standards of passenger comfort, with luxurious private suites in First Class, lie-flat beds in Business Class and generously-sized Economy Class seats. Passengers in all classes can enjoy the latest version of Emirates\' award-winning ICE entertainment system. There are more than 1,200 channels of on-demand entertainment to choose from, including 200 movies from around the world, 100 TV channels, more than 500 audio channels, 100 video games and news, sports and business headlines. Customers can also look forward to gourmet food in all cabins. Operations on Emirates from New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco connect America to the world through the airline\'s route network with extensive connections from Dubai to the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle and Far East and Africa. Dallas/Fort Worth and Seattle-Tacoma International Airports will both be served by daily, non-stop flights from February 2 and March 1, 2012, respectively.