As the Gulf's long-haul airlines face growing resistance to expansion into Canadian and European destinations, they are being welcomed with open arms at a major US airport keen to boost passenger traffic. Officials from Los Angeles visited Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha this week to assure the big three Gulf long-haul specialists - Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways - that they could serve the Southern California gateway airport profitably.
"We think there is a great synergy and a lot of possibility for growth for the Gulf carriers," said Gina Marie Lindsey, the executive director of Los Angeles World Airports. "There is room for all three." In 2008, Emirates opened the first non-stop, direct services between the Middle East and Los Angeles with a service three times a week. Citing heavy demand, the airline soon offered daily services. It is expected to start a twice-daily service within weeks.
The carrier has been working with Boeing to operate its largest capacity 777 aircraft, the 300ER, on the route. This would allow it to fly an additional 75 to 100 passengers on each flight as well as a full load of cargo, compared with the aircraft it currently uses, the 200LR. Los Angeles International Airport officials touted the airport's catchment area of 20 million residents and an investment programme worth US$6.4 billion (Dh23.5bn) including 1 million square feet of new terminal space, opening in 2012.
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