Emirates hosts gala celebrating Houston arrival

Country music legend Kenny Rogers, best-known for his number one hit, “The Gambler," sang for an audience celebrating the beginning of Emirates' second American gateway, Houston, last Tuesday night.

The world-famous airline hosted a magnificent gala at Minute Maid Park, an all-American venue which also plays homefield to the Houston Astros baseball club. The master of ceremonies was non-other than supermodel, Cindy Crawford.

Rogers, a true Texas icon and Houston native, performed for His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed-Al-Maktoum, Emirates' Chairman and Chief Executive, as well as a host of Houston government officials, local celebrities and corporate. The gala marked Emirates' entry into Houston and the beginning of its direct service between the Bayou City and Dubai, which officially started yesterday from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH.)

"We adopted the adage that 'everything is bigger in Texas' by throwing a Texas-sized party for the newest city on the Emirates' map," said Sheikh Ahmed. "Houston has welcomed us with open arms and we wanted to reciprocate. We look forward to serving Houstonians and their neighbours from across the southwest region of the United States."

The evening began with a champagne cocktail reception and appetizer service, where guests had the opportunity to sample food served aboard the luxury airliner. Cocktails were followed by a sit-down dinner with a four-course meal. Sheikh Ahmed formally welcomed guests noting that travellers from Houston and the southwest United States are now able to take advantage of Emirates' hub in Dubai -- to connect to more than 90 destinations around the world, including India, Lebanon, Pakistan and China.

Kenny Rogers then took the stage and performed several of his notable hit songs, including Lucille, Coward of the County, and Islands in the Stream. Guests were also treated to a video presentation on Emirates and its many exotic destinations.

The Houston service will operate three times a week onboard Emirates' brand new, state-of-the-art, Boeing 777-200LR. The service will increase to daily starting 1st February, 2008

Emirates' 777-200LR features eight luxurious private suites in First Class, 42 of its latest lie-flat seats in Business and generous space for 216 in Economy. The aircraft will also offer 12 tonnes of cargo capacity.

Houston is the latest new destination on Emirates' fast expanding international route network, which currently stands at 99 destinations in 62 countries. This year, Emirates also introduced non-stop services from Dubai to Venice, Newcastle, Sao Paulo, Toronto and Ahmedabad. Emirates currently employs more than 8,000 cabin crew representing more than 100 nationalities, including more than 100 crew members from North America. In total, the airline employs more than 200 Americans within the entire group of which there are 114 American flight crew.