Mayor Parker, Airport And Airline Officials Welcome Inaugural Flight To Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport

People are used to things being bigger in Texas, and it was perhaps with that in mind that Lufthansa became the first airline to introduce the Airbus A380 to the Lone Star State. To commemorate the occasion, Mayor Annise Parker has declared August 1, 2012, Lufthansa Airlines Day in Houston. Inaugural flight LH440 arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport at about 1350 CDT.

In addition to regularly scheduled passengers, flying on this inaugural flight was a delegation of esteemed customers and Houston-area media. Upon landing, the aircraft was greeted by a celebratory water arch and after disembarking via the airport's newly constructed double-decker jet bridge, passengers were welcomed by Mayor Parker; Mario Diaz, Director of the Houston Airport System (HAS); and Juergen Siebenrock, Vice President of the Americas at Lufthansa.

Lufthansa's flagship aircraft will provide daily service between Houston and Frankfurt and will increase capacity on this route by approximately 53 percent. "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.

FMI: www.lufthansa.com, www.fly2houston.com