Emirates non-stop flight to San Francisco takes off

Dubai, Dec 16, 2008 (WAM) - Emirates Airline's inaugural San Francisco flight had a smooth and especially co-ordinated "green" departure from Dubai International Airport yesterday.

Onboard the inaugural flight, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, leads a delegation of senior Emirates executives who will be attending meetings and formal events in San Francisco, to celebrate the launch of Emirates' services.

This flight marks the first non-stop air transport link from the Middle East to the US West Coast city of San Francisco. It will also be Emirates' fifth gateway in North America, following the airline's launch of services to New York, Toronto, Houston, and Los Angeles. Initially flying three-times-a-week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Emirates intends to increase services between Dubai and San Francisco to daily flights in 2009.

Flying the modern and efficient Boeing 777-200LR on the route, Emirates had also developed special procedures for this flight as a trial to reduce the overall environmental footprint, this includes the limited use of the auxiliary power unit on the ground during departure, and taxiing to the runway with expedited clearances provided by Dubai Air Traffic Control.