Emirates has further expanded its presence in the Americas with the launch of non-stop service between Houston and Dubai, featuring the new Boeing 777-200LR. The service will initially operate three times a week, increasing to a daily service starting in February 2008.
Flight EK212 departs Houston (IAH) at 6:25 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrives in Dubai (DXB) at 7:35 p.m. the next day. The return flight EK211 departs Dubai at 9:05 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and arrives in Houston at 4:10 p.m. the same day. When daily service begins on February 1, 2008, the departure time for EK212 will remain the same while EK211 will depart Dubai at 9:20 a.m., and arrive in Houston at 4:25 p.m. the same day.
The Houston service marks the 99th destination in 62 countries served by the airline.
This latest service launch comes on the heels of Emirates' historic aircraft order announced on November 11 at the Dubai Air Show: the airline has signed contracts for 120 Airbus A350s, 11 A380s, and 12 Boeing 777-300ERs, worth an estimated US$34.9 billion in list prices.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed-Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline, said: 'In Emirates' determination to be one of the largest global carriers, the Americas represent a high priority in our expansion plans. Since the launch of service from New York in 2004, we have been received enthusiastically in the region and this latest introduction further extends our capabilities to serve all markets of North and South America.'
Emirates introduced daily non-stop service to Dubai from JFK in mid-2004, quickly adding a second daily flight in 2005 and a third connecting service through Hamburg in 2006. In October of this year, the airline launched nonstop service from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai followed by thrice weekly service from Toronto.
