L.A. to Dubai: 16 hours to enjoy lauded service

This fall, getting halfway around the world will be a lot easier, if you think 16 hours on a plane is easy.

Emirates Airlines will start nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Sept. 1, the carrier said Thursday. Emirates will use Boeing Co.’s new 777-200LR, which has the longest range of any jetliner.

“L.A. represents Emirates’ commitment to the American market,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, the airline’s chief executive and the uncle of the ruler of Dubai. (The ruling family has made courting Hollywood a key part of promoting tourism. Its local film festival has featured some top names in U.S. cinema.)

The flight to Dubai, about 8,000 miles from L.A., would be the first nonstop from the West Coast to the Persian Gulf. It will cross over the Arctic Circle.

Several international carriers have recently started or expanded service at LAX, helping the airport fend off competition from San Francisco.

“International is where the growth is going to be for the next two or three years,” said Paul Haney, LAX’s deputy executive director.

Emirates, the world’s fastest-growing airline, often tops lists of fliers’ favorites. On the LAX-Dubai route each coach seat will be equipped with an audiovisual system stocked with 1,700 hours of entertainment, including the biggest Beatles playlist in the air.

Bob Covington, a technology manager for photo agency Getty Images, said he once purposely flew to New York rather than take a direct flight to Germany just so he could get on an Emirates flight.

“They are at the top of the market,” said Covington, a Mid-Wilshire district resident who flies often for his job. Last year’s flight was “like stepping back in time when flying was elegant and fun. If they open up a gateway to Europe, it’s all over for a lot” of other airlines.

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peter.pae@latimes.com