On March 1st, Emirates Airline, a national airline of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), commenced its daily non-stop service from Dubai International Airport to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport. This new service will support local business in Seattle/Tacoma, create and sustain jobs in Washington and across America, and boost commerce between the U.S. and the U.A.E. — a top strategic ally and key export market for the U.S.
The flight launch—which united Emirates Airline with its sixth American destination—is a momentous occasion for a two reasons. One, it connects Dubai directly to a globally-renowned hotbed of innovation and commerce in Seattle/Tacoma for the first time. Two, Boeing Commercial Airplanes—a Seattle-based subsidiary of The Boeing Company— will deliver its 1000th–manufactured 777 aircraft to Emirates the same week. This symbolic transfer will be an enormous milestone in the fabrication history of the 777; an aircraft program with a supply chain including over 440 American companies.
For the Seattle/Tacoma community, the flight represents an opportunity to grow and develop its commercial partnership with the U.A.E.; one that already rests on a firm foundation of trade and investment. In fact, the Port of Seattle serves as the largest American port for trade with the U.A.E. and the U.A.E. is counted among the top five global export destinations for goods from the state of Washington—with $2.75 billion in 2011.
Indeed, the U.A.E. and Washington have shared a rich exchange of goods and ideas in the areas of aerospace, agriculture, information technology, and manufacturing. Washington-based companies such as Boeing Commercial Aircraft, Microsoft, and Starbucks have been instrumental in driving this flow and expansion of commerce. Further, this exchange has helped to support American jobs with a growing number of exports leaving Seattle’s port for the Emirates— a transit point to significant Asian markets, including China and India; and America’s top export market in the broader Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.
Moreover, despite a lag in global economic activity, U.S.-U.A.E. trade hit $18.34 billion in 2011. In fact, the U.S. exported a record $15.89 billion worth of goods to the U.A.E. in 2011; representing a 36% increase compared to 2010. The previous record of $14.4 billion in U.S. exports to the U.A.E. occurred in 2008 and predates the global economic recession. For its part, the U.A.E. exported $2.44 billion to the U.S., more than doubling its 2010 export numbers to the states.
Boeing has played a key role in driving increased trade and investment between the U.S. and the U.A.E in the aerospace sector with the supply of commercial aircraft to major Emirati airlines and military aircraft to the U.A.E. Air Force and Air Defense— including Chinook and Apache helicopters and C-17 airlifters. This partnership not only supports American jobs, but also underscores the deep strategic and military relationship between our two countries.
For its part, Emirates Airline has invested significantly in American equipment and human capital. In fact, the airline employs over 700 Americans globally and its ledger includes a record-breaking $24 Billion order for fifty Boeing 777-300ERs, placed at the Dubai Air Show in November. This historic order complements Emirates’ impressive fleet of Boeing aircraft already supporting its global operations; including flights to its five other U.S. destinations.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Emirates’ planned investment in American industry is expected to support skilled jobs in more than a dozen states and impact over 250,000 direct and indirect American jobs. By connecting Seattle/Tacoma to Dubai, Emirates Airlines is opening a direct pipeline for international commerce with a key U.S. market and supporting the growth of America’s economy.
Danny E. Sebright is president of the Washington-based U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and a Counselor at The Cohen Group.
