Houston Bush to Be First Texas Airport to See A380 Service
On August 1, 2012, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport will become the first airport in Texas to receive Airbus A380 scheduled service, when Lufthansa upgrades the aircraft type it uses to operate its daily Houston-Frankfurt flight.
Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will be Lufthansa’s fourth A380 destination in the United States.
The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger jet in the world, with 63 per cent more cabin space than today’s next-largest aircraft, the Boeing 747-400, and substantially more than the latest 747- version, the 747-8 Intercontinental. ( Lufthansa has ordered 20 747-8Is and will take delivery of the first in 2012.)
Lufthansa’s A380s carry up to 526 passengers, with eight seats in First Class and 98 in Business Class on the upper deck; and 420 seats in Economy on the lower deck. In addition to its size, the A380 is significantly quieter in flight, more spacious throughout, and offers lower fuel consumption and lower emission levels per passenger than other existing jets.
“As the gateway to Texas’ energy capital, Bush Intercontinental welcomes the A380 as a symbol of Houston’s significant role as an international hub,” says Mario Diaz, director of the Houston Airport System, the oeprator of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. “I believe the new aircraft is a game-changer and is an excellent fit for transatlantic flights between Houston and Germany as Lufthansa expands its service.”
The new A380 service will operate from Terminal D at IAH. Over the next several months, the Houston Airport System will be renovating Terminal D and, in anticipation of the A380, making accommodations to handle the extra-large aircraft.
Lufthansa was a founding member of Star Alliance . Customers flying on Lufthansa can connect to flights on Star Alliance partner United Airlines , which operates its largest hub in Houston, with more than 500 daily flights.
Houston Hobby Airlines - News
AirTran also will launch four weekly roundtrip flights from San Antonio to Cancun on June 3 and a daily roundtrip between San Antonio and Mexico City on May 24. Southwest will launch flights from Houston Hobby Airport to San Juan in May.
HOUSTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was lit up by a laser beam as it landed Tuesday night at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Investigators say lasers pointed at planes are a big problem at both Bush
They are among thousands of passengers who will board planes at Houston airports today. "Myself, my husband, our nine-month-old Grayson, my sister-in-law Kendall," said Owen. Tens of thousands of people will fly out of Hobby Airport.
Southwest Airlines said it is moving up the launch of its flight between Houston and Raleigh-Durham International Airport to April 22. The once-daily roundtrip flight to William Hobby Airport was initially scheduled to begin June 3.
The Houston Airport System (HAS) served more than 49.5 million passengers in 2010, ranking as the fourth-largest multi-airport system in the US Houston's three airports, George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), William P. Hobby (HOU) and Ellington Airport