editor Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Press release came in earlier today:Houston Lands Largest Passenger Aircraft in the World; Historic Flight is a First for Texas George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is welcoming the largest passenger aircraft in the world to Texas. The Lufthansa A380 will make its first arrival at Intercontinental on Wednesday, August 1, and is inviting Houston to the “A380 Houston Party” to celebrate from noon – 2 p.m. at FM 1960, just east of Farrell Road, Houston, 77066.Guests will have an unbeatable view of the A380 landing on the runway at IAH. Get your cameras ready, because the “A380 Houston Party” is in a gated area, not regularly open to the public and it is very close to the runway. Planespotters should be able to get great photos.While guests are waiting for the A380 to arrive, Intercontinental has plenty of entertainment planned, including chances to win several prizes including two trips to Germany on the A380 – all guests have to do is participate in a couple of contests.For the grand prize contests, guests will need to register and show proof of I.D. at the registration table when arriving to the “A380 Houston Party.” To be eligible for the grand prize, contestants must be 18 years or older and cannot be City of Houston employees. Lucky participants, chosen at random, will either have to yodel their way to Germany or pack their suitcases the best.Two other contests include a Lederhosen costume contest and a Foursquare Check-in contest. For more information on how to register for the contests and eligibility, visit www.fly2houston.com/A380contests.What’s a party without food and music? The “A380 Houston Party” will have free food: sandwiches, chips, ice cream cups, popsicles, drinks and more; a free gift for each guest and entertainment from the Das Ist Lustig Band. For more information about the “A380 Houston Party,” visit www.fly2houston.com/A380.For more information about Lufthansa Airlines, visit www.lufthansa.com/us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Hey, I just might be able to make it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Already posted in the Lufthansa A380 Service Coming to Houston thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Did it give a time? I might be about to make it, depending on how early it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Did it give a time? I might be about to make it, depending on how early it is.From the press release posted above:"from noon – 2 p.m. at FM 1960, just east of Farrell Road, Houston, 77066." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToryGattis Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Details: http://www.fly2houston.com/A380partyFlight status currently shows a landing time of 1:38pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 My sister's German band is going to be playing this event today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Emirates Airlines A380 First Class http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=J1OqqQ8hBXk&vq=medium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 TJI:Lufthansa brings first-ever Airbus A380 to Texas; Mayor Parker, airport and airline officials to welcome inaugural flight to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental AirportDaily A380 service between Houston and Frankfurt begins today – Upgrades to airport’s runway and terminal accommodate world’s largest passenger aircraftAugust 1, 2012Today, Lufthansa will be the first airline to introduce the Airbus A380, the world’s most technologically-advanced and largest passenger aircraft, to the Lone Star State. To commemorate this historic occasion, Mayor Annise Parker has declared August 1, 2012, Lufthansa Airlines Day in Houston. Inaugural flight LH440 departed Frankfurt at 10:10 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive at George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 1:50 p.m.In addition to regularly scheduled passengers, flying on this inaugural flight is a delegation of esteemed customers and Houston-area media. Upon landing, the aircraft will be greeted by a celebratory water arch and after disembarking via the airport’s newly constructed double-decker jet bridge, passengers will be welcomed by Mayor Parker; Mario Diaz, Director of the Houston Airport System (HAS); and Juergen Siebenrock, Vice President of the Americas at Lufthansa.The return flight, LH441, is scheduled to depart Houston this evening at 6:20 p.m., arriving in Frankfurt at 11:05 a.m. the following day. Beyond the August 1 inaugural flight, LH441 will normally depart Houston at 4:20 p.m. and arrive in Frankfurt at 9:05 a.m. the following day. Lufthansa’s flagship aircraft will provide daily service between Houston and Frankfurt and will increase capacity on this route by approximately 53 percent. Flights are available for booking on www.lufthansa.com.“We are extremely excited to introduce our flagship A380 aircraft as the very first in the Houston market,” said Juergen Siebenrock, Vice President, The Americas for Lufthansa. “I applaud the airport’s management team for their determination to become A380-ready. It demonstrates our shared commitment to serving the global travel needs of the area’s active business community and discerning leisure traveler, while also embracing the environmental advancements of the A380.”Among the improvements made by HAS to accommodate the world’s largest passenger aircraft are a new elevated walkway and passenger loading bridge, including foundations and structure support, electrical updates and the addition of two jet fuel double hydrants in the apron.“This A380 flight is a symbol of Houston’s thriving economy, our commitment to global enterprise, and our investment in infrastructure,” said Mayor Annise Parker. “We worked as a team with our stakeholders to ensure all preparations were completed in Terminal D for today’s historic flight by the world’s largest passenger jet. This is another indication of the ongoing strength of Bush Intercontinental Airport.”Lufthansa, which flies to more than 35 other oil and energy destinations worldwide, has provided service to Houston since 1985. Lufthansa’s oil&energyclub offers employees from related industry businesses an assortment of perks such as instant frequent flier status, priority check-in, access to Lufthansa Business Class Lounges, waiting-list priority, greater free baggage allowances and exclusive offers and discounts from selected partners.“We are thrilled to welcome the A380 to Houston since it offers our customers a heightened flying experience that they will find at no other airport in Texas,” said Mario C. Diaz, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System. “Our international traffic continues to grow as a result of the strong business relationships between Houston and Germany and we’re delighted to offer a newly renovated area in Terminal D so all who fly on the A380 will enjoy ‘opening day fresh’ gates, waiting areas and other amenities.”Most fuel-efficient aircraft The Airbus A380 is the world’s most fuel-efficient aircraft, burning about 12 percent less fuel than other wide-body jets, and is approximately 30 percent quieter than the current generation of wide-body aircraft. The airline has ordered a total of 17 A380 aircraft, all scheduled for delivery by 2015. This will make Lufthansa the largest A380 operator in Europe.Lufthansa’s A380 is configured with 526 seats, which results in a 53 percent capacity increase on this route, and features the airline’s new First Class product. Located on the upper deck, this space is the quietest cabin in commercial aviation and boasts an air humidification system – the first of its kind to be installed on a commercial aircraft – that improves air humidity to help fight off jet lag. Two large, luxurious bathrooms with separate changing and lavatory areas offer enhanced personal space and storage. The cabin’s eight generously proportioned, ergonomic seats measure 6’9” feet in length and 2’7” feet in width and provide the ultimate in comfort and innovation for an exceptional travel experience.Also located on the upper deck is the world’s largest Business Class cabin with 98 seats, featuring improved functionality, including more storage and a power supply that works with all worldwide connections.The main deck is home to an impressively spacious Economy Class cabin. Each of the 420 seats features an in-seat video screen, an optimized ergonomic design and a slimmer seat back that adds two inches of personal space per passenger.To follow the action of today's historic event, follow us on Twitter @iah. Check www.fly2houston.com/A380 later today for photos and video links. About Lufthansa One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa currently flies to 211 destinations in 84 countries, with hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, and with the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS - Vienna, Brussels and Zurich. From its 21 North American gateways, Lufthansa— recently voted by Fortune as one of the five most admired airlines in the world— and its partners serve over 450 destinations in more than 120 countries. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleet in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-400, as well as the Airbus A300 sub fleet. Currently, Lufthansa has over 160 new aircraft worth about $22 billion on order. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and is also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8, the industries’ two most fuel-efficient passenger aircraft. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues its $105 million program earmarked for building new or upgrading existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network and will spend more than $3.6 billion in new onboard products and services by 2015. In 2010, Lufthansa re-launched its broadband wireless Internet service onboard, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit www.lufthansa.com. Deutsche LufthansaAbout Houston AirportsThe Houston Airport System served 49.9 million passengers in 2011. Houston's three airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby (HOU) and Ellington Airport (EFD) contribute over $27 billion to the regional economy. Visit fly2houston.com and follow us @HobbyAirport and @IAH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Can't wait. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it, but I am flying KLM in a couple of days so I should see it then. Planes are so cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.