Cologne, German-based Lufthansa Airlines brought the first Airbus 380 to Texas on Wednesday.
The 380, the world's largest passenger aircraft, landed at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport at 1:52 p.m. on a non-stop flight from Frankfort, Germany.
Upon arrival, the flight was greeted with a water arch before passengers disembarked via a newly constructed double-decker jet bridge designed to accomodate the double-decker aircraft. Additional upgrades to the airport's runway and terminal were required to accomodate the large aircraft.
Passengers were greeted by Houston Mayor Annise Parker; Mario Diaz, Director of the Houston Airport System (HAS); and Juergen Siebenrock, Vice President of The Americas at Lufthansa.
The plane will depart Houston at 620 p.m. for its return flight to Frankfort. The aircraft will provide daily, non-stop service between Houston and Frankfort.
“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.”
According to Lufthansa, the Airbus 380 is not only the world's largest passenger aircraft seating 526 people, but also the most fuel-efficient. It's also 30 percent quieter than other wide-body jets.
