Emirates A380

Yesterday at Washington Dulles International Airport, Emirates formally welcomed daily service between Washington, DC and Dubai on its new flagship aircraft, the A380, which replaced the 777-300ER.  Events throughout the morning were broadcast live on WJLA7 / NewsChannel8.

This was the second event for Emirates at Dulles I've been on hand to take part in since they began service in 2012.

On hand to introduce the new aircraft and additional services was Rob Gurney, North American Senior Vice President, Emirates, and Christopher U. Browne, Vice President and Airport Manager, Washington Dulles International Airport.

On-board Emirates' new A380 aircraft, first and business class passengers enjoy lie-flat bed seating, and have access to the onboard lounge, featuring a full bar and lounge seating.  First class passengers enjoy the luxury of private suites stocked with a variety of refreshments, beauty products, productivity kits, entertainment options including personal iPads, and access to one of the A380's two Shower Spas.

On the lower deck, all economy passengers have access to ICE: Emirates' award winning free in-flight entertainment system offering more than 2,000 television, film, music, and game channels, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi.  Children also benefit with their own busy bags, including coloring books, toys, and stuffed animals.

Etihad at Dulles (April 2013)

Following up from Etihad Airways' sneak peek I covered in January, Dulles' newest airline celebrated its first commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Washington, DC, and a few days later opened a new Diamond First and Business Class Lounge at Gate A14.  Individuals present for the events included Etihad President and CEO James Hogan, as well as HE Michael Corbin, US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. The entire set can be viewed here.

Monday, April 1st, 2013:

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Finally it was time for the A340-500ER to arrive at Dulles, where the aircraft was greeted by a water arch, followed by welcoming remarks from Etihad PCEO James Hogan and MWAA CEO Jack Potter.

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Thursday, April 4th, 2013:

Several days later, Etihad formally opened their newest Diamond First and Business Class Lounge adjacent to their Gate at A14.  Members of the airline and delegation were also present for the Lounge opening ceremony.  Amenities the lounge features include business connectivity and meeting areas, showers, prayer areas, entertainment pods, family and children's play areas, and a fully staffed kitchen with gourmet chefs, among other relaxing ways to spend time before or after your flight.

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The executive delegation began arriving, and after a full tour of the lounge the opening remarks and ribbon cutting ceremony commenced, followed by a reception.

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My coverage from last week's events at Dulles was used in the Official Etihad Press Releases, and also ended up in anna.aero and Jeff Clabaugh's article in Washington Business Journal, among other aviation news outlets around the world.

Etihad---anna.aero

Etihad---Washington-Business-Journal

Etihad at Dulles (January 2013)

Once again, Dulles welcomes a new international carrier to the Washington, DC area.  The United Arab Emirates has recently seen a boom of travel demand to DC and beyond.  Several months ago I covered the beginning of Emirates Airlines' flight service to Dulles, and just a few months later Etihad Airways, the official state sponsored airline of the UAE, has also established a travel route to Dulles, serving the Washington, DC region.  I was present for Etihad Airways to cover the welcoming ceremonies, as well as document examples of the luxurious amenities offered in Etihad's First and Business Classes.  I was also fortunate enough to meet and take a quick photograph of the United Arab Emirates' US Ambassador, H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba. The day began with some light snow accumulation overnight and into the morning.  Ground crews were actively clearing ramp areas, and de-icing aircraft prior to departure.

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The picture below was one of several photographs of mine distributed as Etihad's press release images.

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Aboard the Boeing 777, I met and photographed the United Arab Emirates' Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba.

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Guests were given demonstrations of the aircraft amenities to expect on a flight.  First Class passengers interacted with the aircraft's head chef.  Seats in First Class can be customized to either offer an ottoman, a guest seat for meals, or even convert into a bed for long flights.

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Business Class travelers also enjoy gourmet meals and many seating options to make flight more relaxing.

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All classes enjoy world-class flight staff and modern airline amenities to stay connected, comfortable, and entertained.  Even children have special gift bags to make airline travel more enjoyable.

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Some of my photos have been made available on Etihad's website alongside Etihad's Press Release.  The release and my photos have been distributed to travel and aviation media, where my photos have been published covering this event.  Stay tuned here for updates from more media outlets.  Click the image caption to go to the full articles.

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Emirates at Dulles

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Washington Dulles International Airport hosted Emirates Airlines for a grand welcoming event that marks the beginning of weekly non-stop service from Dulles to Dubai, along with revolutionary in-flight customer service including complimentary food and beverage (to include alcoholic beverages), as well as free door-to-door limousine service to and from 1st Class passenger's airports.  Emirates President Tim Clark was on hand for the events, and answered questions at the press conference.