EMIRATES CHOOSES LOS ANGELES AS NEW WEST COAST GATEWAY
DUBAI-BASED AIRLINE WILL BEGIN NONSTOP SERVICE TO LAX ON SEPT. 1, 2008

            (Los Angeles, California – March 13, 2008)  Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa today announced that Emirates Airline has selected Los Angeles as its new West Coast gateway and will begin daily nonstop service between Los AngelesInternationalAirport (LAX) and Dubai on Sept. 1, 2008.

            “I am pleased that Emirates has chosen LAX as its U.S. West Coast gateway and I look forward to the start of service between LAX and Dubai later this year,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.  “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 nonstop from LAX.”

            HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said, “L.A. represents Emirates' commitment to the American market.  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 L.A. to Dubai and beyond.”

            Emirates will serve the LAX-Dubai route with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, the longest range commercial airplane in the world.  It is also cleaner and quieter than similar aircraft, according to manufacturer Boeing Commercial Airplanes.  It also is 21 percent more fuel efficient and produces fewer emissions.

            The Emirates’ B-777-200LR will accommodate 266 travelers in eight private, first-class suites, 42 lie-flat business class seats and 216 economy class seats.  The interior is equipped with 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.  It also offers the ability to send and receive e-mail and text messages from the personal in-seat entertainment systems.

            Beginning Sept. 1, Emirates flight 216 will depart daily from LAX at 4:45 p.m., arriving Dubai at 7:40 p.m. the following day.  Return flight 215 will depart daily from Dubai at 8:20 a.m., arriving at LAX at 1:55 p.m. the same day.

            The Dubai service was aggressively pursued by many U.S. airports during the past six to 12 months and Mayor Villaraigosa said the selection of LAX is a reflection of the extensive modernization efforts underway at the world’s fifth busiest airport, and his initiative to re-establish LAX as one of the world’s great international gateway airports.

            “Gaining new and increased international service at LAX and LA/Ontario International is a top priority for my Administration because of the added benefits to air travelers and the substantial contribution wide-body flights make to the Southern California economy,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.

            A 2007 study by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation found that one average daily, round-trip, transoceanic flight of wide-body aircraft from LAX generated $623.5 million in annual economic output, sustained 3,120 direct and indirect jobs in Southern California, and produced $156 million in wages each year.