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Emirates Airlines invites guests aboard giant Airbus A380 at LAX

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Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Guests were invited this morning to tour one of the world’s largest planes at Los Angeles International Airport.

The $18.8-billion double-decker Airbus A380 operated by Emirates Airlines is about 240 feet long and 80 feet high, with 489 seats, company officials said.

The plane was on display this morning at the Flight Path Museum at LAX’s Imperial Terminal. About 250 guests were to board the plane after its arrival from New York this morning for a two-hour “familiarization” flight.

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“It’s got shower spas and these elaborate first-class suites. It’s really an over-the-top plane,” said Carrie Whitt, a spokeswoman for Emirates Airlines. “Economy is very nice as well. They offer the most foot room.”

On Monday, Emirates held a similar tour flight of the Airbus A380 in San Francisco.

The carrier is scheduled to add nonstop daily service between Los Angeles and Dubai on Oct. 26, and between San Francisco and Dubai on Dec. 15, although passengers will fly aboard the smaller Boeing 777-200LR.

Emirates debuted the A380 in New York last Friday and plans to use the planes for three weekly flights between New York’s JFK Airport and Dubai starting today. The carrier has ordered 58 of the planes, Whitt said.

Airbus A380s came to LAX twice last year, and the Australian airline Qantas is scheduled to begin flying the plane out of LAX in the fall.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

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